KU announces new director of choirs

LAWRENCE -- The University of Kansas Department of Music and Dance on Monday, April 15, announced the appointment of John Paul Johnson as director of KU choral activities. Johnson will assume the responsibilities of his position in August.

Johnson comes to KU with 19 years of experience as an active conductor, clinician and judge. Most recently, he has served as director of choral activities and professor of music at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos. Johnson taught most of the SWTSU choral ensembles as well as courses in music research, choral literature and music education at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

"The Department of Music and Dance at the University of Kansas has long been recognized as one of the leading programs in America," said Johnson. "I am honored and excited to become a part of this amazing faculty."

During Johnson's 13-year tenure as Southwest Texas State's director of choral activities, the choral and vocal programs grew from two to eight choirs. Johnson increased the number of voice majors by 150 percent. Johnson also directed the Hill Country Choral Camps, which enroll more than 600 singers each summer.

Active at more than 400 events throughout the United States, the Caribbean and Europe, Johnson has been guest conductor-in-residence at the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, Poland, and the Trinity College of Music in London, England.

"Dr. Johnson was selected for this position from an outstanding pool of national candidates," said Larry Mallett, chair of the KU Department of Music and Dance. "His qualifications and experiences are perfect matches for the KU choral program. I look forward to working with Dr. Johnson to make one of the best choral programs in the country even better, and it thrills me to anticipate the potential he brings not only for the KU Department of Music and Dance but also for the KU community and Kansas."

Johnson has presented sessions on vocal health to standing-room audiences at numerous national, regional and state in-service conferences. He is writing a textbook titled "Achieving and Maintaining Vocal Health" for the Roger Dean Publishing Co.

The Pennsylvania native earned a bachelor's degree in music from Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa., and a master's degree in music education and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

During his career, Johnson has received numerous teaching awards, including the SWTSU Alumni Association's 1999 Teaching Award of Honor and the Distinguished Alumni Lecturer award at Westminster College.

For more information on Johnson or to schedule an interview, contact Vickie Hamilton-Smith at (785) 864-9742.