Georgia State University Appoints New Director of the School of Music

A performer, pedagogue, Alexander Technique teacher, and academic leader, Julia Bullard has served in senior academic roles at several universities

The violist, pedagogue, and academic Julia Bullard has been named as the new Director of Georgia State University's School of Music. She will step into the role on July 1, 2025.

Bullard has cultivated a long career in various university music departments. From 2000 to 2022, she was a professor of viola at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), and spent ten years as the associate director for graduate studies in the UNI School of Music.

A highly respected pedagogue, she is a past President of the Iowa String Teachers Association (ISTA) and received ISTA’s Leopold LaFosse Studio Teacher of the Year award in 2011. She has presented guest artist recitals and master classes across America, as well as further afield.

As a performer, Bullard is violist of Trio 826, whose first album Mosaic was released on the Blue Griffin label in 2016. She has performed as a guest with ensembles including the Bogotá Chamber Orchestra, UCS Orquestra - Caxias do Sul, Brazil, the Arianna String Quartet, and the Maia Quartet.

Since August 2022, she has been on faculty at Kennesaw State University, where she teaches viola and Alexander Technique and serves in leadership roles as assistant director and interim director of the Bailey School of Music.

"Dr. Julia Bullard’s wealth of experience and passion for music education make her the perfect fit to lead our School of Music into its next chapter," said Chester Phillips, Dean. "Her commitment to fostering artistic excellence and creating collaborative learning environments aligns perfectly with the College of the Arts’ mission, and we are eager to see how her leadership will shape the future of the program."

"I am incredibly excited to be joining the Georgia State University School of Music, and it will be a privilege and a pleasure to work with such a dynamic and talented group of faculty, students and staff," Bullard said. "I am looking forward to helping the School of Music continue to grow its reputation as a destination for outstanding musicians to further their education in the heart of the vibrant, world-class arts community of metro Atlanta."

Image credit: Georgia State University