Port St. Lucie Community Band Conductor & Musical Director

John K. Southall, PhD is the Chair of the Performing & Visual Arts Department, Director of Bands and Coordinator of Music Education at Indian River State College in Fort Pierce, Florida. He is the Professional Development Conference Chairman and Past President of the Florida Music Education Association. He currently serves as the Music Director of the Port St. Lucie Community Band.

Dr. Southall has been an active music education advocate, conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and presenter across the United States for over 36 years. Dr. Southall received his Ph.D. and Masters Degrees in Music Education from The Florida State University. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University. He has served on the faculties of The University of Missouri-St. Louis, Nova Southeastern University, and Broward Community College. He has served as the Music Curriculum Specialist, K-12, for the Broward County school district in Florida. He has also served as Director of Bands at Western, Piper, and Ely High Schools in Broward County. Has also served as the Community Endowed Teaching Chair in Fine Arts at IRSC and as a Courtesy Associate Professor of Music Education/Therapy at the Florida State University.

Dr. Southall has received many awards for his service as a music educator. He was recently awarded Community Endowed Teaching Chair in Fine Arts 2019-2020. Dr. Southall is a recipient of the Midwest International Clinic Conference Medal of Honor, and was honored as a Music Education Legend by the Midwest International Band & Orchestra Conference. He is an editorial board member for the Florida Music Director journal. He is a two-time recipient of the Indian River State College Endowed Teaching Chair in Fine Arts Award. Dr. Southall was also honored as the FMEA Florida College Music Educator of the Year, the Broward County Arts Teacher of the Year (FL) and the Western High School Teacher of the Year (FL).

Dr. Southall is the coordinator of the IRSC Treasure Coast Four County Honors Band Festival. He is the coordinator of the IRSC Summer Band Camp. Dr. Southall has served as the coordinator and presenter for the Florida Bandmasters Association’s Adjudicator Recertification seminar. He has served as the Chairman of the Affective Response Special Research Interest Group (the National Association for Music Education - MENC). He has served editorial board member for the Research Perspectives in Music Education journal. He has also published in national and state journals. Dr. Southall has served as president of the Broward Music Educators Association and Chairman of the Broward County Band Directors Association. He has served on the executive board of the Broward County Cultural Affairs Division. Dr. Southall has presented for the FBA Adjudicator Certification seminar. He has served as a District Chairman for the Florida Bandmasters Association. He has served as coordinator of the Broward Music Educators Region Band Festival. He has served on the Florida Bandmasters Association’s Ethics committee. He has served on the FBA adjudication committee. He has served on the FBA All State Selections committee. He has served as a Florida Music Educators Association Conference Session Coordinator. Dr. Southall was a participant in Vision 2020: The Housewright Symposium on the Future of Music Education. He has served as the associate director of the FSU Summer Music Camps. He has also served on numerous K-20 committees and curriculum writing teams in Florida.

Under Dr. Southall's direction, the Indian River State College Wind Ensemble, Symphonic band and Jazz Ensembles have continually presented musically inspiring and emotionally driven performances for audiences on the Treasure Coast. The community outreach of the instrumental music program has served as an inspirational source of goodwill for the college. He has presented clinic sessions for the Florida Music Educators Association, The National Association for Music Education, the Florida Bandmasters Association, the Broward Music Educators Association, the Affective Response Special Research Interest Group (MENC), and for numerous school districts in Florida, and Missouri. He has conducted numerous Honor Bands in the Southeast United States including the FBA All State HS Honors Band. He has served as an adjudicator for the Florida Bandmasters Association’s state Concert Band Music Performance Assessment. He has served as a concert and Jazz ensemble adjudicator in the Southeastern United States. He has conducted band clinics in secondary schools across Florida. He has served as a marching and S&E adjudicator in Florida. Dr. Southall has served as the conductor and director of the Florida State University Summer Music Camps Honors Chamber Winds program. He has served as the assistant conductor of the Youth Symphony of Florida (Ft. Lauderdale). Dr. Southall’s Western High School bands received consistent Superior ratings at the FBA Concert, Marching and Jazz Ensemble Music Performance assessments at the district and state levels. He has arranged marching band music for high school bands for over 15 years. He has also served as a mentor to many aspiring music educators.

Dr. Southall is a member of Phi Beta Mu – International Bandmasters Association. He is a member of the Florida Music Educators Association, the College Band Directors National Association, the National Band Association, the Florida Bandmasters Association, the Florida Collegiate Music Educators Association, the Florida Elementary Music Educators Association and the National Association for Music Education. He is a member of Phi Mu Alpha, Kappa Kappa Psi, and an honorary member of Tau Beta Sigma. Dr. Southall has been selected as the Broward County Arts Teacher of the Year, and the Western High School Teacher of the Year.