KMEA Hall of Fame
John Albertson
Inducted in 2005
John E. Albertson grew up near Buhler, Kansas and attended Hutchinson Junior College, and University of Wichita. He earned Doctorate of Musical Arts at University of Missouri Kansas City Conservatory. He spent his entire professional career in the Kansas City, Kansas Public School District. He established exemplary choral programs at both the junior and senior high school levels, he became Director of Music for Kansas City in 1976 and used his gifts to recruit young teachers with lots of potential and grow them into master teachers who shared his vision and passion for music education. During Dr. Albertson's public school career he established a massive inventory of instruments for students who could not afford to purchase their own, he started an instrument repair shop to maintain those instruments and he hired woodwind and brass Specialists to give private lessons to those students. He founded and supported an All-City Honor Orchestra and the nation's only urban school director Harp Ensemble. Dr. Albertson was a driving force in the founding of Kaw Valley Arts and Humanities and Kansas City Arts Partners. Under his leadership the KCK Arts Partners plan became a national model for excellence in arts education and the district was invited to showcase the program at the 1992 MENC National Convention.