HERNDON, VA (September 4, 2024)—The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is pleased to present Christopher Johnson, Professor of Music Education and Music Therapy at the University of Kansas, as the nineteenth recipient of the NAfME Senior Researcher Award. The award from NAfME, upon recommendation from the NAfME Society for Research in Music Education (SRME), recognizes significant, long-term scholarship in music education. Johnson will be presented the award on September 27 at the 2024 Biennial NAfME Music Research and Teacher Education Conference, taking place at the Westin Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta, Georgia.
“It is truly exciting that Dr. Christopher Johnson has been chosen as the 2024 recipient of the NAfME Senior Researcher Award,” stated NAfME President Deborah A. Confredo. “Chris’s long-standing career sets him apart as one of the most prominent researchers in our profession. That this award places him alongside those who have previously earned it is most fitting. I have known Dr. Johnson to be persistent, deliberate, tenacious, and full of integrity. I have known his work to be inspiring, thought-provoking, compelling, and creative. He has persevered at helping us to learn more about human propensities in music learning. His impact is significant. On behalf of the National Association for Music Education, congratulations to Dr. Christopher Johnson on this richly deserved recognition!”
“Johnson is a distinguished researcher, publishing frequently in the Journal of Research in Music Education (JRME) and other important journals, and presenting at every national NAfME biennial conference for the past 30+ years, among other conferences,” shared Wendy Sims, chair of the NAfME Society for Research in Music Education. “He has represented the U.S. research community through active participation in the International Society for Music Education (ISME). Chris has mentored many doctoral students who have gone on to make their own contributions to the field. He has been a recognized leader in the research community, having served on the JRME Editorial committee, as a Special Research Interest Group (SRIG) chair, and on the SRME executive committee, including as chair. We believe he is highly deserving of this prestigious honor.”
“He has persevered at helping us to learn more about human propensities in music learning. His impact is significant.”—NAfME President Deb Confredo
“I am well-acquainted with Johnson’s research having been a colleague of his at The University of Kansas and an early collaborator,” said Alice-Ann Darrow, Irvin Cooper Emeritus Professor of Music Education at Florida State University. “Because of our close association of over 30 years, I can speak first-hand regarding his legacy of research to the field of music education, and perhaps equally important, his generous service to the research community and mentorship of next-generation researchers.
“He has served NAfME as a member of the JRME editorial board, Affective Response SRIG chair, two terms on the SRME executive board, one as chair,” Darrow continued. “He has been a long-time contributor to ISME, serving on the Research Commission (as both chair and member) and on the editorial board of the International Journal of Music Education (IJME), with an unbelievable 12 years as editor. On the state level, Johnson served Kansas Music Educators Association as research chair for 17 years. He has also chaired conferences, symposia, and numerous association committees, which are time-consuming tasks that require high-level organizational skills. Such positions, generally elected by the membership, are another indicator of the profession’s high regard for Chris Johnson.”
Darrow shares how Johnson was instrumental in establishing the Biennial NAfME Music Research and Teacher Education conference. “He believed it was important the higher education community maintained its allegiance to our music education organization,” she said.
Chris Johnson received his Bachelor and Master of Music Education and Doctor of Philosophy at Florida State University. He was Director of Bands at Baldwin High School in Milledgeville, Georgia, from 1985–1988, and then Graduate Teaching and Research Assistant at Florida State University from 1988–1992. Since 1992, he has been Assistant and then Associate Professor of Music Education and Music Therapy, and since 2003 Professor of Music Education and Music Therapy at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. Johnson has received five administrative appointments since 1998, as well as seven honors and awards since 1998 both nationally and internationally. He has worked with numerous associations including the International Society for Music Education; National Association for Music Education; Society for Research in Psychology of Music and Music Education; Kansas Music Educators Association; and American Association for the Advancement of Science.
“For context, it is important to highlight that IJME was a journal that was undergoing many changes,” added Beatriz Ilari, Professor and Chair of the Department of Music Teaching and Learning at the University of Southern California, and Research Fellow at the USC Brain and Creativity Institute, Bionic Ear Lab, CIPEM (Portugal). “Until 2004, the journal typically published 2 issues per year. By 2008, IJME had increased its periodicity to four issues per year, along with the practice of including abstracts in four languages (French and German, Spanish and Mandarin), in an effort to increase our readership. During Chris’s tenure at IJME, I saw firsthand how the journal went from receiving a few submissions from select countries, to becoming a major journal in the field, with a large backlog of articles written by scholars and practitioners from multiple countries, including many that were historically underrepresented at ISME.” Ilari added, “Chris Johnson is a strong researcher, a wonderful colleague, and a dedicated member of our research community.”
“As a music education researcher Johnson is known for his long-term agenda concerning several aspects of rhythm, particularly the performance of tempo and rubato,” stated John M. Geringer, director of the Center for Music Research and the Lewis V. Pankaskie Professor of Music Emeritus at Florida State University. “This substantive line of research has greatly enhanced music educators’ understanding of common practices in ensemble performance and solo performance. Further, the studies regarding the role and tendencies of conductors in tempo performance have also shown commonalities in western art music. Another long line of research contributions concerns music learning and teaching. An overview of his research reveals a wealth of publications in the major research journals in our field. Only a handful of music educators have achieved either the quantity or the quality evidenced—he has done both.”
Carlos R. Abril, Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Music Education and Music Therapy at the University of Miami Frost School of Music, shared Johnson’s significant influence on his own academic and professional career. “Johnson stands as one of the most affirming and supportive people I know in our field, a fact that is vividly reflected in his approach to leadership and mentorship,” shared Abril. “I have witnessed it in the ways he interacted with his students during one of my visits to the University of Kansas. I have experienced it myself. I distinctly recall, as a doctoral student, presenting my research at a conference for the first time. It was Dr. Johnson who paused at my poster, engaged deeply with my work, and offered encouragement. His genuine interest and incisive questions prompted me to refine my research for journal publication, culminating in my inaugural appearance in a scholarly journal. His guidance was instrumental in that pivotal moment of my academic career.”
In her nomination of Chris Johnson for the 2024 NAfME Senior Researcher Award, Marie McCarthy, who received the award in 2022, shared seven areas that make Johnson deserving of the recognition: “continuing the legacy of research excellence at the University of Kansas; a sustained line of inquiry and output of research studies over three decades, and ongoing; research collaborations with colleagues of high distinction; interdisciplinary studies to bridge the disciplines of music education and music therapy; a stellar record of contributions to music education internationally; an impressive record of grant awards to support his research initiatives; and, research leadership and service at state, national, and international levels.” She added, “An evaluation of Chris Johnson’s contributions over the past thirty years reveals the distinguished nature of his research contributions, the consistent dissemination of his inquiry in peer-reviewed venues, and the extent and significance of his professional leadership.” McCarthy is Professor of Music Education at the University of Michigan.
“Johnson plainly cares about the research enterprise,” added Martin J. Bergee, Professor Emeritus, Music Education at the University of Kansas. “He has a long list of former doctoral students who have gone on to establish successful careers in higher education. Johnson has also unselfishly worked with young faculty at institutions outside of the University of Kansas, where he has worked for 32 years. Johnson does not wait for resources to come to him. As we know, the wait can be long. Instead, he actively pursues research funding and has been more successful than most in our field. To date, he has received 28 grants and contracts.”
For Immediate Release
Contact: Catherina Hurlburt at NAfME
catherinah@nafme.org or (703) 860-4000
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The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is a collaborative community that supports music educators and advocates for equitable access to music education. The only association that addresses all aspects of music education, NAfME, together with its affiliated state music education associations, advocates at the national, state, and local levels and provides resources and opportunities for teachers, students, parents, and administrators. Founded in 1907 and representing more than 57,000 members teaching millions of students, NAfME advances the music education profession and promotes lifelong experiences in music.
Follow NAfME on Facebook (facebook.com/nafme) and Instagram (instagram.com/nafme). For additional information, contact Catherina Hurlburt at catherinah@nafme.org or 703-860-4000.
