About the Director

John Benton is a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he received his Bachelor’s of Music and Masters of Arts in Teaching. While at UNC, he studied piano under Steinway Artist, Dr. Mayron Tsong and was the recipient of the Sydney M. Dowd Fellowship for Piano Studies. He is currently the Choral and Orchestra Director at McDougle Middle School in Chapel Hill, and the Director of Music Ministries at Millbrook United Methodist Church in Raleigh. He has participated in notable music festivals, including the Lorenzo de Medici-Tuscania Music Festival in Rome, Italy, and The Schlern-Orfeo Music Festival in Vols am Schlern, Italy. In 2014, John performed with the Triangle Cuba Choral Exchange. This was the first American Choral Ensemble to travel and perform in Cuba since the embargo in 1961. His performances have taken him to Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Cuba, Germany, New York City, Spain, and Switzerland; performing at such venues as Carnegie Hall, Teatro Colon, The Museum of the Revolution (Havana), Cathedral of Toledo, and the AMIA Jewish Center in Buenos Aires.

John has performed with the North Carolina Symphony, The University of North Carolina Symphony, The New England Symphonic Ensemble, The Durham Choral Society, The Duke University Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir of St. Martin in the Fields (London), and is a member of the Vocal Arts Ensemble of Durham. He has worked with renowned teachers such as Nell Middleton, Dr. Mayron Tsong, Dr. Thomas Otten, Irina Krivonos (Lucy Moses School, NYC), Sergio de los Cobos (Geneva Conservatory, Switzerland), Donna Protopepscu (Belgian Conservatory), Leon Fleisher, Andre Diev, and Andre Watts. His publications include program notes for pianists; Lang Lang, Leon Fleisher, Mitsuko Uchida, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Leif Ove Andsnes, and Radu Lupu.

He was awarded the Professional Development Impact Grant from the Public School Foundation of Chapel Hill to participate in the Carnegie Hall Music Educators Workshop in New York City in July of 2017 and 2019. In 2022, John was awarded a grant through the PSF to establish 'A Celebration of Black Excellence Concert' at Chapel Hill High, with Grammy Award winner, Dr. Jeffery Redding conducting the inaugural concert. John has also served on faculty for UNC's High School Music Camp. He is also an Eagle Scout and loves to support his students who are in scouting by volunteering as a merit badge counselor, especially for music. In 2021 John was honored by Steinway and Sons as a 'Steinway Verified Teacher'.

John is dedicated to nurturing and mentoring his students. Since beginning his professional teaching career in 2011, his orchestra and choral students have won numerous contests at local, state, and national festival competitions. Most notably, his choir and orchestra received the first place prize at The Walt Disney World Resort Festival of Music in 2017. McDougle Middle School celebrated their debut performance at Carnegie Hall on June 23^rd 2019. His ensembles have also received numerous invitations to perform at Carnegie Hall and other venues across the United States and Europe. Most recently, his students were invited to perform at the “Aloha Invitational Choral Festival” in Hawaii as well as Grace Cathedral in San Francisco in 2022. John is in his 12th year of teaching at McDougle and loves being a part of this great group of educators! #wearemcdougle