Judy Johnson

Judith Johnson started her teaching career at the Presbyterian Girls’ College in Warwick as a primary and secondary music teacher.

When her husband, Des was unexpectedly transferred to Brisbane, PGC rang Clayfield College and suggested they interview her to work for them. This resulted in a 26 year career at the school.

During this time, Judith completed her Kodály training at Holy Names College over a year, and then returned to her school, Clayfield College in Brisbane, where she implemented a Kodály based program from Pre-School to Matriculation (Year 12).

Judy started a class for parents and young children at Clayfield College after school. Sherry Sawarde came along and suggested classes for smaller children. Judy, along with Lenore Bateman and Gail Godfrey began teaching early childhood classes. Due to the success of these classes, Music for Children (later Do-re-mi) was born. A curriculum was then written that was approved through National Council and used by many teachers in Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia.

In 1987, while presenting at the Kodály National Conference in Sydney, Judy was approached by Carmel Daveson to present a course in Mackay over a number of weekends. Judy started flying up to Mackay for weekends and presenting a course which was a prelude to the Australian Kodály Certificate.  Judy continued to deliver many weekend and two week courses in regional Queensland Centres such as Rockhampton, Cairns, Mackay, Townsville and Mt Isa for many years providing invaluable pedagogical foundations for Music Educators. Communities of practice were begun and, in some places, this was the basis of the formation of local Kodály Chapters.

After running these courses, Judy began similar courses in Brisbane, at Clayfield College on Tuesday nights where many teachers came to begin their Kodály training. This course led to the Clayfield School of Music Certificate which, in turn, was replaced by the Australian Kodály Certificate.

In 1987, Judy began her business, Clayfield School of Music. Judy’s husband Des retired around this time and took over the printing of Judy’s growing collection of titles and running the bookshop, travelling to every workshop in Queensland, Nationally and Internationally with her. The bookshop was run from their house and Des ran bookstalls at all of the workshops in which Judy presented. The first book sold by the bookstore was 150 Rounds but the bookshop grew and sold great quantities of music texts and picture books for many years.

1n 1992 Judy travelled to Oakland to teach at Holy Names University with Sister Mary Alice Hein. She taught the masters course there for the academic year.

After 26 years, Judy resigned from Clayfield College school and moved to the School of Music at The University of Queensland, where she taught in the music education courses in aural musicianship and classroom methodology for 10 years.

Upon retiring from the University of Queensland, she continued to provide in-service training for teachers both locally and overseas. In later years Judy travelled to Malaysia with James Cuskelly to begin the Australian Kodály Certificate there. She travelled twice a year for 8 years.

Judy was the driving organisational force behind the Brisbane Summer Schools under the auspice of KMEIA Qld, which occurred at Clayfield College until 1999. In 2000 these continued at the University of Qld until she left the university and the Cuskelly College of Music continued these courses.

Over the years, Judy has served on Kodály committees at the state, national and international levels. For over 25 years, Judy served on the KMEIA Qld committee in a number of roles including President and Vice-President. During her time as President and in other roles on the Kodaly Music Education Institute of Australia National Council, Judy, like other Council Members, travelled to Sydney and other places around Australia for meetings. She also served for eight years as Vice President of the International Kodaly Society with headquarters in Budapest. In 2023, Judy received the International Katalin Forrai Award.

Judy Johnson authored many books, papers and articles and taught at a large number of workshops in Australia and overseas. In Judy’s own reflection on the body of literature that she has created in her career, 150 Rounds for Singing and Teaching is a standout. Music for All gave people an opportunity to start in whatever stage they and their students were. Listening to Art Music Volume 1 and 2 and the four Children’s Music Writing Books continue to be core texts in many Music Educators’ professional libraries.

Despite being fully retired, Judy is presently engaged in collating and analysing the folk music of early colonial Australia to make it more accessible to teachers.

Judy’s contribution to Music Education in Australia can not be overstated. Her commitment and generous sharing are something to which we all aspire and serve as a model for all Kodály members.

Written by Deb Brydon and Debbie O’Shea.

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Watch Kodály Queensland’s Interview with Judith!