Two new faculty members will be taking the reins of Kansas University’s band and choral programs next fall.

John P. Lynch, associate director of bands at Northwestern University in Chicago, will become KU’s director of bands. He will fill the position left vacant by long-time bands director Robert Foster, who is stepping down as director but continuing in a teaching capacity.

John Paul Johnson, most recently director of choral activities and professor of music at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, Tex., has been named KU’s new director of choral activities. He replaces Simon Carrington, who left the university in spring 2001.

Music and dance department chairman Larry Mallett said both Lynch and Johnson were selected from an excellent pool of national candidates.

“Dr. Lynch has quickly become one of the rising stars of band conducting in the country,” he said.

At Northwestern, Lynch conducts the symphonic band, teaches conducting to undergraduate and graduate students, teaches graduate wind literature courses and secondary instrumental methods and supervises student teachers.

Lynch, an active clinician, guest conductor and composer, is music director of the Northshore Concert Band in Wilmette, Ill.

He earned his doctor of musical arts degree in wind conducting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music; his master’s degree in music education at Eastman School of Music, Rochester, N.Y.; and his bachelor’s degree in music education from Indiana University.

Johnson, who will come to KU with 19 years experience as an active conductor, clinician and adjudicator, has increased the number of voice majors at Southwest Texas State by 150 percent during his tenure.

“His qualifications and experiences are perfect matches for the KU choral program,” Mallett said.

At Southwest Texas, Johnson taught a majority of the university’s choral ensembles and taught courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels in music research, choral literature and music education.

Johnson has been guest conductor-in-residence at the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, Poland, and Trinity College of Music in London.

Johnson earned his doctor of philosophy in curriculum and instruction and his master’s degree in music education from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. His bachelor’s degree in music is from Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa.