John Stafford II is Professor of Music, Director of Choral Activities, and Coordinator of the Music Department at Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC). Professor Stafford was a 2015 recipient of the John & Suanne Roueche Excellence Award for outstanding teaching and leadership at the community college level. Also, Stafford was the recipient of the Henry Louis Award for Teaching Excellence at KCKCC in 2020 (Faculty of the Year award). He has also received two other teaching awards from KCKCC for Recruitment and Teaching Excellence. Previously, he was appointed at Millikin University, Eastern Illinois University, and Danville Area Community College teaching composition, theory, orchestration, history, and vocal jazz. He holds degrees from Millikin University (music business), Bowling Green State University (composition), and has done additional doctoral studies at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (choral conducting).

 

Among his current professional activities, Professor Stafford currently serves as the National Repertoire and Resources Vocal Jazz Chair of the American Choral Directors Association. He previous has served as the Jazz Chair for the Kansas Choral Directors Association and Commercial/Contemporary Music Chair of the Southwestern Division of the American Choral Directors Association. He is also a member of the National Association for Music Education, Jazz Educators Network, and American Choral Directors Association. He also has arrangements published by the Lorenz Corporation and Anchor Music Publications. He recently wrote a chapter in the book, “Rehearsing The Vocal Jazz Ensemble”, published by GIA Publications. 

 

Recently, he directed the 2021 Iowa All-State Jazz Choir, which won a 2022 DownBeat Magazine Student Music performance award, and has directed All-State Vocal Jazz Ensembles in New York, Oklahoma, Missouri, Wyoming Illinois and North Dakota. Professor Stafford is a nationally sought after clinician and presenter for vocal jazz and choral voice matching. In June 2022, Professor Stafford gave his conducting debut at Carnegie Hall (through MidAmerica Productions), giving the New York Premiere of Justin Binek’s “Missa Lucis” for choir and jazz ensemble. In April 2024, Stafford was selected as a National Finalist for The American Prize Dale Warland Choral Conducting Award.

 

Professor Stafford directs “The Standard”, the award-winning contemporary vocal jazz ensemble from Kansas City Kansas Community College. They have been invited to perform at the national conferences of the Jazz Education Network (2022 and 2019), the American Choral Directors Association (2017), and the National Association for Music Education (2018). Within the last eight years, The Standard has won thirteen DownBeat Magazine Student Music Awards and has recorded two studios album available on all digital platforms. The group has shared the stage with such highly acclaimed artists as Take 6, The New York Voices, m-pact, saje, Carmen Bradford, Dianne Reeves, and Marilyn Maye.