John has conducted well over one hundred festival choirs in many states at all levels - he typically introduces a taste of Bel Canto Solfeggio, inspiring singers and their directors to explore music literacy. Often he is asked to conduct one of his original choral works or premiere a piece commissioned for a special occasion.
Short Biography:
John Armstrong has degrees from the Crane School of Music and Ithaca College. He was choral director at West Genesee High School, Oswego High School and LeMoyne College, and is the former conductor of Elmira Choral Society and the Syracuse Vocal Ensemble. John has worked extensively with music teachers and choral directors to raise music literacy standards at all levels throughout the Northeast and Midwest. He frequently appears as a guest conductor for all-county, area allstate and festival choirs, and is active as clinician, author and composer for choral seminars, workshops, and graduate courses. Mr. Armstrong runs an online "Solfeggio Support Group", which includes more than 200 music educators who are dedicated to developing successful music literacy programs for singers in their classes and choirs. John has been successful as a finalist and first-prize winner at the Ithaca College Choral Composition Contest, and he has been the winner of the Iowa Choral Commissioning Competition. He has written commissioned works for a variety of church, school, college, and community choirs, has composed fourteen a cappella choral settings of Emily Dickinson poems, and he recently premiered “Deus, Creator Omnium” for double choir at St. Ambrose Cathedral in Des Moines. John has choral works in print with BriLee Music; his book, "The Solo and Ensemble Singer", was published by Warner Bros., and he maintains an active website at www.armstrongmusicliteracy.com.