Brandon Johnson, Ph.D. 

Title

Director of Choral Activities

Years at EMU

Four years

Why You Like Working Here

I like the kind of students we attract. I like working with them. I also think the music department and choral program have a ton of potential for growth and success. Lastly, I love living in Michigan and in the Ypsi/Ann Arbor/Detroit area.

Favorite EMU Moment

We were selected to perform at the American Choral Directors Association Regional Conference in Chicago. That was a thrill for myself and the students. We were at Carnegie Hall this semester too, so was certainly a top EMU moment for all of us.

Inspiration

Music is my inspiration. It changed my life. My professors and instructors taught me how music can help you think differently about the world and different cultures—how it ties everything together. Those professors and instructors inspired me to do that for another generation of musicians.

Surprising Fact

I used to have really long and luxurious hair, and now, not so much.

Superpower

My twin boys ask me this all the time. I think I have settled on flying.

Next Goal

To impact more students on campus and get more non-major students engaged in singing. Right now, we have three choirs with 140–150 students involved. At a school our size, we should 5,000 or 10,000 people singing. That’s my goal.

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