Dr. Joseph W. Johnston is the Music Faculty Lead at Chandler-Gilbert Community

College, where he oversees the choral and vocal studies department and directs the

musical theatre program. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Performance and Choral

Music Education and a Master of Education in Secondary Education with an emphasis

in music from Northern Arizona University. He recently earned a Doctor of Musical Arts

in Choral Conducting from Arizona State University.

Dr. Johnston is an active member of NAfME and ACDA, a Past-President of Arizona

Choral Educators, and currently serves as AzMEA Vice-President for

Collegiate/Research Activities and the AzACDA Lifelong R&R Coordinator. He is a

frequent presenter at conferences, a clinician for choirs, and an adjudicator at festivals

across the state.

Dr. Johnston began his teaching career at Grant Sawyer Middle School in Las Vegas,

where he was nominated as New Teacher of the Year. He spent two decades at Red

Mountain High School in Mesa, Arizona, where he led a vibrant choral program that

included three performances at Carnegie Hall. During his tenure he mentored 18

student teachers and was honored as the Mentor of the Year by Arizona State

University.

Dr. Johnston has conducted numerous honor choirs, including the Northeast Regional

Choir, West Regional Choir, Eastern Arizona College Honor Choir, ChoDA Men’s Honor

Chorus, Paradise Valley Men’s Honor Chorus, Scottsdale Honor Chorus, Arizona Jr.

High All-State Honor Choir, Mesa Public Schools Jr. High Honor Choir, Peoria Honor

Chorus, Dysart District Honor Show Choir, Greater Phoenix Honor Chorus, and the

AzACDA Diamondbacks Choir Night. From 2003 to 2019, he served as Choral Director

for the Arizona Ambassadors of Music, leading performances throughout Europe.