Dr. J. Edmund Hughes is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Puget Sound (WA), where he directs the Chorale. He retired from Chandler-Gilbert Community College in 2011 after a teaching career of over 40 years. While at CGCC, he taught choir, music theory, conducting, and organized two on-campus choral festivals per year. From 1990-2011, he was the Director of Music at Velda Rose United Methodist Church in Mesa. Prior to his appointment at CGCC, he taught at Phoenix College, Tucson Unified School District and at California State University-Fresno. A former TUSD nominee for Arizona Teacher of the Year, he has been honored by multiple student nominations in “Who’s Who Among American Teachers”.

His choirs from Tucson High School, St. Paul's United Methodist Church (Tucson), Phoenix College and Chandler-Gilbert Community College have had the distinction of performing at ACDA, MENC and AMEA conventions. He has also presented lectures and demonstrations on special interest topics at ACDA and AMEA conventions. In 2002 he received the Arizona Outstanding Choral Educator Award by ACDA, and in 2005 was honored as the Arizona Music Educator of the Year by AMEA. In 2011 he received the first Lifetime Achievement Award granted by the University of Arizona Choral Music Department and in 2012 the Lifetime Achievement Award from AMEA-ACE. In April, 2017 he directed “Requiem” by John Rutter, in his Carnegie Hall debut. In March, 2020 he will return to direct “Gloria” by John Rutter.

Ed is a past President of Arizona ACDA (serving 3 separate terms) and has served AMEA in numerous capacities, including Choral Section President, Regional Governor and Choral Chairman. He remains active in the choral field by adjudicating choral festivals, directing honor choirs, workshops and clinics, and composing. Dr. Hughes has over 30 choral compositions in print, which are published with Santa Barbara Music Publishing Co., Colla Voce Music, Inc., Pavane Publishing and Walton Music. He received his Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate Degrees from the University of Arizona which included doctoral studies at the University of Southern California.

He now resides in Gig Harbor, WA with his wife (Carole) and his hobbies are running, weightlifting and biking. In January 2010, he completed his sixth half-marathon.