Joshua Palkki

Joshua Palkki (he/him) is Assistant Professor of Music Learning and Teaching/Choral Conducting and Associate Director of Choral Activities at Arizona State University and co-author of Honoring Trans and Gender-Expansive Students in Music Education published in 2021 by Oxford University Press (with Dr. Matthew Garrett, Case Western Reserve University). At ASU, he leads the Barrett Symphonic Choir and guides students in music education pedagogy, choral pedagogy, music teacher education, and choral conducting. Dr. Palkki is an internationally recognized scholar on topics of equity and justice in (choral) music education, particularly centering on inclusive practices for LGBTQA students and teachers.

Prior to his appointment at ASU, Palkki served on the faculty at California State University, Long Beach where he taught courses in music education, interfaced with the College of Education, and led the University Choir. Under his leadership, that ensemble was selected to perform at the 2019 California Choral Directors Association (CCDA) State Conference.

Palkki earned a Ph.D. in music education (choral conducting cognate) from Michigan State University where he received the MSU Council of Graduate Students Disciplinary Leadership Award. During his tenure at MSU, he studied conducting with Dr. Sandra Snow, Dr. Jonathan Reed, and Dr. David Rayl. Dr. Palkki was a finalist in the graduate division of the 2011 American Choral Directors Association national conducting competition while earning a master’s degree in choral conducting at Northern Arizona University (NAU) with Dr. Edith Copley. In 2011, he was named Outstanding Graduate Student in the NAU School of Music. He is the recipient of the Arizona American Choral Directors Association Director of the Year award for 2024. 

An active guest conductor and clinician, Joshua has served on the faculty of both the San José State University (SJSU) Summer in the City Camp and Blue Lake Fine Arts camp. As a guest conductor, he led the Nevada Middle School All-State Choir in 2016, the Southern California Vocal Association SATB Regional Honor Choir in 2017, California Choral Directors Association (CCDA) Central Region TTBB Honor Choir in 2018, and CCDA Coastal Region SSAA Honor Choir in 2019. He has been contracted to conduct the Kansas All-State Treble Choir in 2025.

While completing his undergraduate degree in vocal/general music education at Ball State University, Joshua was a guest student at SJSU where he studied conducting with Prof. Elena Sharkova and Dr. Charlene Archibeque. Palkki served as choral director at Hoover Middle School and Lincoln High School, two performing arts schools in San José, CA. He also taught choir and handbells at Norwood School in Bethesda, MD.

Joshua has a keen interest in Music Learning Theory and all things equity and justice-related, including but not limited to: LGBTQA and gender studies in music education, culturally responsive teaching, anti-racism, and participatory music making. He has presented at state, national, and international research and practitioner conferences including PODIUM (the national choral conference in Canada), International Conference on Music Learning Theory, NAfME National In-Service National Conference, the Society for Music Teacher Education Symposium, and the ACDA National Conference. His writing appears in the Choral Journal, Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy, Journal of Research in Music Education, Research and Issues in Music Education, Music Education Research, Research Studies in Music Education, and International Journal of Music Education. Palkki has contributed book chapters to Engaging Musical Practices: A Sourcebook for Middle School General Music (Rowman & Littlefield), Routledge Companion of Jazz and Gender (Routledge), Bloomsbury Handbook of Music and Art (Bloomsbury), Choral Conductors Companion (Meredith/Hal Leonard), Oxford Handbook of Gender and Queer Studies in Music Education (Oxford), Oxford Handbook of Feminism in Music Education (Oxford), and Q&A for MLT: Choral Music Perspectives on Music Learning Theory (GIA).

Joshua currently serves on the editorial board of Contributions to Music Education. Dr. Palkki’s new passion is cycling and has participated three times in AIDS/LifeCycle.