John K. Cox

John K. Cox is a Visiting Professor of Music at Lewis & Clark College where he teaches courses in music history and choral music. He previously served as Visiting Assistant Professor at Reed College where he led the choral program and taught music theory. Prior to Reed he was Director of Performance at Union College in upstate New York, leading the college-community orchestra and two choral ensembles in addition to teaching courses in American folk music and performance practice. He currently serves as assistant conductor of the Portland Phoenix Chorale, who took first place in the sacred music category at the 2024 Preveza International Choral Competition, and also won their division on the 2023 International Choral Kathaumixw.

A specialist in Renaissance and Baroque performance practice and advocate for forgotten repertories, Dr. Cox’s recent scholarship focuses on Roman sacred music from the late-seventeenth century. His editions have been recorded by Skylark Ensemble and performed by professional and amateur choral groups across the country. Under his direction, the Reed Collegium Musicum received Early Music America’s 2017 College Development Award for a concert of newly edited works by Alessandro Melani (1636-1703) at the Boston Early Music Festival. His current research project investigates music written for Roman nuns during the late-seventeenth century. In its 2025-26 season, Portland Baroque Orchestra will give the modern debut of five pieces written for performance in Roman convents during the Anno Santo of 1675.

As a professional tenor and chorister, he has performed and recorded with many renowned professional vocal ensembles including Apollo’s Singers, True Concord, and the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus. He currently sings with Resonance Ensemble, Cappella Romana, and the Skylark Ensemble (2018, 2020, 2021 GRAMMY nominees for “Best Choral Album”). Skylark’s recent Christmas album, Winter’s Night, includes his editions of music by Gregorio Allegri and Giovanni Bernardino Nanino. IN 2024 he was invited to join The Recording Academy as a voting member.

In addition to his activities as an educator, performer, and musicologist, Dr. Cox is active as an adjudicator and coach of high school choral ensembles. He serves on the board of Portland Baroque Orchestra and frequently provides program notes and pre-concert lecturers for their performances.