S05E05 - Rethinking Success: Music Education, Community, and the Power of Rural Schools. An Interview with Dr. Daniel Johnson

S05E05 - Rethinking Success: Music Education, Community, and the Power of Rural Schools. An Interview with Dr. Daniel Johnson

From National Rural Education Association Official Podcast by Dr Allen Pratt, Mr. Jared Bigham

March 31, 2026 · 39 min · Episode 88

About this episode

Dr. Daniel Johnson discusses the significance of music education and community in rural schools.

In this episode of The Rural Voice, Dr. Christopher Silver, Dr. Melissa Sadorf, and Dr. Bill Chapman welcome Dr. Daniel Johnson, Professor of Music and Music Education at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where he coordinates the graduate studies program in music education. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience teaching across the K–16 spectrum in public, independent, and community-based settings, Johnson brings both scholarly depth and practical insight to a conversation focused on rural education. A graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music, the University of Arizona, and Emory University, his work spans rural music education, interdisciplinary arts education, and teacher professional development. An internationally recognized authority on classroom music instruction and assessment, he has presented widely to organizations such as the National Association for Music Education, the International Society for Music Education, and the College Music Society. He is also the editor of the new two-volume publication, Music Education in Rural America, as well as other works such as Holistic Musical Thinking and Musical Explorations: Fundamentals Through…

People in this episode

Guest: Dr Daniel Johnson

Topics covered

  • music education
  • rural education
  • community engagement
  • teacher professional development

Keywords

  • rural schools
  • interdisciplinary arts education
  • classroom music instruction
  • assessment

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Music Education in Rural America, Holistic Musical Thinking, Musical Explorations: Fundamentals Through Experience

Books & works: Rethinking Success: Music Education, Community, and the Power of Rural Schools, Music Education in Rural America, Holistic Musical Thinking

Places: Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts

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