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 Professional Background
On May 14, 2022, Mr. Claussen received his Bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Louisville. While at UofL, he was a member of the Cardinal Singers, the most selective choral ensemble at the university. Although his time at the University of Louisville was abnormal due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he still had the opportunities to perform around the country and volunteer at several music-education related events for the surrounding school districts. Prior to his undergraduate career, he attended the Youth Performing Arts School, where he majored in Vocal Performance. While at YPAS, he performed with the Louisville Orchestra, performed at the Windy City Choral Festival in Chicago, and participated in a summer program with Canto Vocal Programs.
In January 2022, Mr. Claussen began student-teaching K-5 general music at Bowen Elementary School in Louisville, KY. In March 2022, he began student-teaching middle school choir and 6th grade general music at Western Middle School in Louisville, KY. While at Western, he helped in teaching sectionals for the school's musical production. During this time, he was also an independent voice/piano teacher at Flying Hands Music School. While at Flying Hands, he planned for and taught voice and piano lessons to students varying from children to adults.
As of August 2022, Mr. Claussen has been teaching choir and general music at our very own, Johnson Traditional Middle School. The thing Mr. Claussen has found to be the most special thing about teaching at Johnson thus far has been rebuilding the choir program that slowly fell apart during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During his first year of teaching, Mr. Claussen applied for the "Disney Imagination Campus 100 Teachers Celebration," a contest that honored 100 educators for bringing creativity and imagination to their classroom. In the spring of 2023, he received the news that he was 1 of 100 teachers in the country and the only teacher in the state of Kentucky, out of over 7,900 applicants, to have been selected as a winner of the contest! During Teachers Appreciation Week in May 2023, Mr. Claussen traveled to Disneyland in Anaheim, CA to be celebrated in a cavalcade parade and to take part in several Disney Imagination Campus workshops. To read WDRB News' story about his experience, or to learn about the celebration, click one of the following links:
In 2018, Mr. Claussen was awarded the Elizabeth Breckinridge Scholarship in Education and the Quincy Jones Musicianship Award. He later received a scholarship from the University of Louisville School of Music.
Mr. Claussen is currently affiliated with three professional music education organizations: the Kentucky Music Educators' Association, National Association for Music Education, and American Choral Director's Association. As a member of these professional organizations, he has attended professional development conferences throughout the country and made connections with other music teachers and professionals.
Personal Background
Outside of the choir classroom, Mr. Claussen enjoys traveling and going to concerts and musicals. He also has five wonderful pets at home: "Evan" the Siberian Husky, his cats "Monarch" and "Elphie," a bearded dragon named "Nico," and "Cruella" the ball python. During the summer, Mr. Claussen works as an educator at the Louisville Zoo! Mr. Claussen also loves spending time with his family and friends!
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