KASC

HONOR CHORUS FESTIVAL
March 28, 2026

Fullerton Union High School
201 E Chapman Ave
Fullerton, CA 92832

Patrick Johnston’s enthusiasm and passion for music education are threads that have been centrally woven into his 28 year career in Music Education. For over 13 years he was a music educator for the Los Angeles Unified School District. During that tenure he was a past conductor of the LAUSD Honor Chorus Festival and has brought numerous students to past Kodály Honor Chorus Festivals since 2005. Since his time with the LAUSD, he has been a Music TOSA (Teacher on Special Assignment) and Music Specialist where he has mentored and trained many music teachers new to the teaching profession. He has also taught musicianship courses for various organizations, including The Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, National Children’s Chorus, and The Harmony Project. He currently is the Music Specialist and Arts Lead for the Fullerton School District. He teaches at both Maple Elementary and Golden Hill School of the Creative and Performing Arts where he implements his Kodály, Orff, and Modern Band techniques into his curriculum.

He earned his Bachelor’s and Masters of Music in Music Education at the University of Southern California, after having completed his recital in Classical Guitar Performance. Most recently he earned a second Masters degree in Choral Conducting at California State University at Los Angeles from their prestigious Three Summer Choral Conducting Program. He completed his Kodály certification in 2008 and had the honor to be in one of Katinka Daniel’s last cohort of students. 

Outside of the music classroom, Mr. Johnston has been active as a choral artist performing with the Donald Brinegar Singers for many years, as well as the California Philharmonic Chorus, Pasadena Pops and Pasadena Symphony Choruses. He has also been involved in many exciting projects such as premiering works by Morten Lauridsen, Eric Whitacre, John Muehleisen, among many other composers. Mr. Johnston has also had the good fortune to sing on soundtracks for Bridge to Terebitha, Eric Whitacre’s Paradise Lost, and others.

Mr. Johnston enjoys working with new composers and was involved with the Liturgical Composers Forum of Southern California for many years as both a contributing composer and choral artist in their “Sing a New Song” choral series. When the concert series disbanded in 2010, he cofounded and was the Executive Director for Cantate Domino of Southern California which featured new works by California composers as well as showcasing some original colonial works of the California Missions. His connection to the San Gabriel Mission is a deeply personal one, having begun his music career as a music minister and, eventually, choral director there in 1991.

Since getting married and having two daughters, Mr. Johnston has focused more of his time with his family. He still teaches full time and enjoys mentoring the next generation of music educators. In his spare time he enjoys cooking and reading…and occasionally dabbling in his studio making audio recordings for some unknown future audience.
 

What is the KASC Honor Chorus Festival?

​This unique festival provides an excellent opportunity for music and chorus teachers with their student musicians to participate in a collaborative performance under the guidance of a guest conductor. Choristers from 3rd-8th grades are invited from all schools, community choirs, church choirs, private vocal studios, and any district within southern California to join in creating this honor chorus. Participating teachers will receive quality concert repertoire, rehearsal tracks, lesson ideas, festival meetings with the director, and more.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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