Professor Cleveland specializes in early 20th century music theory and analysis. Her research has focused on various compositional techniques and referential pitch collections utilized in post-romantic and early modern compositions. She is currently working on research pertaining to the properties of the octatonic pitch collection and the codification of common applications used as a means of establishing centricity and formal control in comparative works of early 20th century composers. Professor Cleveland has also developed a secondary interest in a new area of music research – the theoretical study of film music. Her recent research has focused on the application of large scale and short term thematic unification techniques as well as various compositional treatments employed for thematic development.

Prof. Cleveland was a presenter for the Community Engagement Program at the College Music Society National Conference in 2006 and also presented papers at the Rocky Mountain and Northeast Regional CMS Conferences in the spring of 2007. She has been a frequent guest clinician for state and regional music conferences and festivals and has been invited to adjudicate at state, regional, and national competitions throughout the United States. Professor Cleveland has served as president of the New Hampshire Music Teachers Association and as a divisional chair for the MTNA National Competitions. She is currently serving on the Program Committee for the Community Engagement Program of the CMS Northeast Chapter.

Professor Cleveland received a Bachelor of Music degree in Performance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a Master of Music and Ph.D. in Music Theory from Northwestern University. She was an adjunct faculty member at the Department of Fine Arts at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell where she taught music theory, aural skills, and introductory music history. At St. Anselm, Dr. Cleveland teaches a wide variety of courses in music theory, music history, and composition. She has developed special topics courses in jazz history and film music studies and will be offering a new course in ear training in the fall of 2008. She also teaches in the Humanities Program and has given lectures in Second Year Humanities.