Roy Magnuson

Professor of Music Theory and Composition

School of Music

Office

JH Julian Hall 60

Office Hours

By appointment

Office Phone

(309) 438-8524office
phone

rdmagnu@ilstu.eduemail

Website

https://soundcloud.com/roy-magnusonwebsite

About
Education
Awards & Honors
Research

Biography

The music of Roy David Magnuson has been performed throughout the United States and Europe at venues such as the World Saxophone Congress, WASBE, CBDNA, the RED NOTE New Music Festival, and the Robb Composers’ Symposium. Roy is also the creator of the virtual reality composition software solsticeVR, the conducting software RibbonsVR, and is a member of ASCAP. His music is recorded on Albany Records and NAXOS.

Current Courses

MUS 405.002 Composition

MUS 205.002 Composition:Level II

CTK 490.010 Directed Projects In Creative Technology

CTK 390.006 Directed Projects/Seminar In Arts Technology

MUS 499.001 Independent Research For The Master's Thesis

Teaching Interests & Areas

Music Theory, Composition, Aural Skills, Virtual Reality Design, Electronic Music

Research Interests & Areas

Composition, Music Theory, Virtual Reality Software Design, Unity, VR Pedagogy, VR Research, Generative AI Research, Generative AI Pedagogy

DMA Music Composition

University of Illinois

Urbana, Illinois

MM Music Composition

Ithaca College

Ithaca, NY

BM Music Composition and Theory

Illinois State University

Normal, IL

University Outstanding Creative Activity Award

Illinois State University

2022

American Prize

The American Prize

2022

Teaching Innovation Grant

Center for Teaching Learning and Technology

2021

College of Fine Arts Service Award

Illinois State University

2021

University Research Grant

Research and Sponsored Programs

2021

Creative Activity Initiative

Illinois State University

2018

Service Intiative

Illinois State University

2017

Grants & Contracts

Developing and Testing the Virtual-Reality Embedded Naloxone Training (VENT). Illinois Innovation Network. State. (2024)

TDS 1: System Validation and Learning Assessment. State Farm. Private. (2024)

The Development of New Outreach and Intervention Resources to Mitigate the Opioid Epidemic in Rural Illinois. OSF ISU. State. (2024)

United States Air Force Virtual Conducting Experience. USAF. Federal. (2023)

VR-assisted Scenario-based Learning for Teen Drivers. State Farm. Private. (2023)

University Research Grant. Illinois State University. Illinois State University. (2022)

University Research Grant. Research and Sponsored Programs. Illinois State University. (2021)

Virtual simulation of psychiatric disorders using spatial audio in medical education. Rutgers University Biomedical and Health Sciences. Other. (2020)

XTAL VR Headset for CFA VR. Illinois State University. Illinois State University. (2019)

Virtual Reality Workstation for Content Creation. Illinois State University. Illinois State University. (2018)

A Series of Original Pieces for Electroacoustic Combinations. Illinois State University. Illinois State University. (2017)

Performances and Exhibits

Counterfactuality (The Outer Worlds 2 OST)
Roy David Magnuson
March 2025 - March 2025

House plants in terracotta pots
Roy David Magnuson
April 28 2025 - April 28 2025

House plants in terracotta pots
Roy David Magnuson
April 15 2025 - April 15 2025

House plants in terracotta pots
Roy David Magnuson
March 22 2025 - March 22 2025

House plants in terracotta pots
Roy David Magnuson
February 19 2025 - February 19 2025

Jumpscare!
Roy David Magnuson
May 2025 - July 2025

Three Places in Lovecraftian New England
Roy David Magnuson
October 24 2025 - October 24 2025

Collection of Works from Sabbatical 2023
Roy David Magnuson
January 17 2023 - May 5 2023

Thoughts and Prayers premiere
Anne Kovarik McNamara, Roy David Magnuson
March 13 2023 - March 13 2023

...the softest breath
Roy David Magnuson
Illinois State University. April 8 2022 - 2022

House plants in terracotta pots
Roy David Magnuson
Henry M. Gunn High School. October 7 2022 - 2022

Illinois State University Wind Symphony Thursday, April 7 - Saturday, April 9; Wind Symphony Tour
Tony Charles Marinello, Rachel Hockenberry, Roy Magnuson
April 7 2022 - April 9 2022

Illinois State University Wind Symphony; Wednesday, April 6
Tony Charles Marinello, Rachel Hockenberry, Roy Magnuson
April 2022 - April 6 2022

In the room, great and green
Roy David Magnuson
Illinois State University. November 29 2022 - 2022

Innsmouth, Massachusetts - 1927
Roy David Magnuson
Monmouth College. October 31 2022 - 2022

Roy Magnuson: the softest breath
Tony Charles Marinello, Roy Magnuson
April 2022 - April 2022

The Flibbertigibbet’s Fabrefaction
Roy David Magnuson
National Flute Association. August 8 2022 - 2022

The Flibbertigibbet’s Fabrefaction
Roy David Magnuson
National Flute Association. March 18 2022 - 2022

a little night (rain) music
Roy David Magnuson
Diablo Valley College. November 17 2022 - 2022

thoughts and prayers
Roy David Magnuson
December 1 2022 - March 1 2023

through the night, dark and drear
Roy David Magnuson
Illinois State University. April 2 2022 - 2022

when I was...
Roy David Magnuson
Lincoln-Way Central High School. May 5 2022 - 2022

Composer Collaboration: Roy Magnuson
Tony Charles Marinello, Roy Magnuson
February 2021 - February 2021

Defi
Roy David Magnuson
March 28 2021 - 2021

House plants in terracotta pots
Roy David Magnuson
Oklahoma State University. October 21 2021 - 2021

Presentations

Implementing Responsible AI Use: Illinois State University 's Approach. HLC Annual Conference. HLC Higher Learning Commission. (2025)

Meyer, K. M., Smudde, P., Blaney, J.R., Hunt, S.K., Lippert, L.R., Hopper, K.M., and Magnuson, R. (2025). Image repair differences between human and AI-generated messaging: The case of the Chicago White Sox. Paper Presented at the Annual Convention of the Broadcast Education Association. Las Vegas, NV.

Reimagining Learning: Navigating Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education. Reimagining Learning: Navigating Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education. (2023)

Reimagining Learning: Navigating Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education. Reimagining Learning: Navigating Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education. Manipal University. (2023)

Reimagining Learning: Navigating Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education. Reimagining Learning: Navigating Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education. (2023)

Zero to Hero: Empowering Faculty to Explore and Utilize XR/VR Technologies for Research and Pedagogy. Educause. (2023)

ISU Board of Trustees Presentation titled RibbonsVR: Virtual Reality Assisted Conducing software and music pedagogy package being developed at Illinois State University. ISU Board of Trustees Meeting February, 2022. Illinois State University. (2022)

RibbonsVR: Virtual Reality Assisted Conducting. Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. Illinois State University. (2022)

XR @ ISU. Continuous Improvement in Technology Conference. Illinois State University. (2022)

XR @ ISU. Research Computer Advisory Board. Illinois State University. (2022)

Creative Technologies at Illinois State. University Club. University Club. (2021)

RibbonsVR: Virtual Reality Assisted Conducting. Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. Illinois State University. (2021)

RibbonsVR: Virtual Reality Assisted Conducting. RibbonsVR: Virtual Reality Assisted Conducting. Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. (2021)

Theory Pedagogy in the Band Curriculum. Illinois State University Band Director Workshop. Illinois State University. (2021)

XR @ ISU. Research and Sponsored Programs. Research and Sponsored Programs. (2021)

XR @ ISU. XR @ ISU. ACDA. (2021)