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Humans of the Hilltop: John Jost

John Jost, professor of music and director of choral activities, leads choir practice. Jost plans to retire
this year after having worked on the Hilltop since 1989.
photo by Cenn Hall

Music and education are both universal aspects of humanity.

John Jost, professor of music and director of choral activities at Bradley University, has taken these two aspects through his life up to his forthcoming retirement. Having been a part of Bradley since 1989, Jost will bookend his education career with high hopes of music remaining a constant in the Peoria community.

Discovering music at an early age, Jost found a love for choral music. He was inspired by his older brother, who took piano lessons. After his parents finally allowed him to take lessons when he was nine years old, he realized his passions lay not with the piano but rather with the violin.

“I majored in violin in college,” Jost said, recalling his time as a student at Stanford University. “I ended up volunteering to teach violin and strings in Haiti for four years.”

While in Haiti, Jost discovered a music program founded by an Episcopal nun. His involvement with the music program led to his directorship of Ecole Sainte Trinité, a program once centered in Léogâne that has since branched out to locations all across Haiti.

“I actually agreed to do it for two years, and then I stayed for two more years,” Jost said with a laugh. “We started [Ecole Sainte Trinité] for three weeks every July to bring more volunteers over to work with the kids.”

Following his time in Haiti, Jost found himself back in his home state of California to finish college. Having been accepted into Stanford University’s doctoral program for choral conducting, Jost rekindled his love for choral music. Stanford’s doctoral program was a refreshingly academic period, according to Jost, with a research-intensive curriculum that strengthened his drive.

While looking for jobs after college, he landed a two-year interim job at Houghton College in western New York.

“That was my first college experience teaching,” Jost said. “The person I was replacing for two years, who was getting her doctorate, was an excellent choir director, so the choir was already really, really good. And I was able to do a lot of things that I didn’t think I could do with them … but then she came back, so I just applied for lots of jobs – and got the job here at Bradley.”

In 1989, with an economic downturn that resulted in dire straits for many college campuses, Bradley seemed to be a positive, forward-looking place for Jost – a stark contrast to the “challenging” and “competitive” nature of the California environment.

Jost also took the opportunity to expand outside of Bradley, having enjoyed principal viola and principal second violin positions in the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, and becoming co-founder and co-director of the Peoria Bach Festival.

It would appear that Bradley and the Peoria community reciprocated his affection. Having won the First Year Teaching Award in 1990 and the Bradley Parents Association Award of Excellence in 2005, both the university and Jost benefited from one another’s service. However, it would appear the ones who benefited most from Jost’s expertise and warm manner were the students.

“He’s the kindest, most gentle man – but he gets so much stuff done,” Maggie Sloter, a graduate student majoring in nonprofit leadership, said. “He’s really easy to work with, and he’s very direct, but he’s also so considerate. He’s just a wonderful person.”

While Jost’s musical abilities have provided opportunities for his countless students, Jost said he finds himself to be the one filled with gratitude for what the students and university have given him.

“What a privilege it’s been to work here at Bradley,” Jost said. “I think it’s been an ideal place for me in terms of being able to work with choirs … just working with the students; their talent, their energy, their love of music. And being able to help channel that in positive directions has been a real privilege. I’ll miss that very much.”

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