Judy Erpelding

Mrs. Judy Erpelding is a violinist, violist, and conductor in her 13th year as an educator and Director of Orchestras at the High School level. Currently, she is the Director of Orchestras at Blue Valley North High School, and also teaches 5th grade strings at Overland Trail and Valley Park Elementary Schools in Overland Park, KS. Previously, Mrs. Erpelding was the Director of Orchestras at Free State High School in Lawrence, KS from 2012-2023. There she grew the program from three orchestras to five, nearly doubling the number of students participating in the program.

Mrs. Erpelding has also been recognized as the NEKMEA 2016-17 Outstanding Young Orchestra Director, she served as the KMEA All-State Full Orchestra Chairperson in 2019 and 2020, and as the Assistant Chairperson in 2017 and 2018. Then, in 2020-21 Mrs. Erpelding was named the NEKMEA Outstanding High School Level Orchestra Director. In 2022, Mrs. Erpelding was selected as a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction by the National Society of High School Scholars, and she was voted as the President Elect of the NEKMEA. Then in 2023, her orchestras from Free State were selected to perform at the Kauffman Center in the KC Classic Festival presented by the Youth Symphony of Kansas City, in addition to being featured in a commercial advocating for music in our schools by KMEA that was aired statewide.

Mrs. Erpelding holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Baker University. She completed her internship/student teaching semester under the tutelage of Dr. Rachel Dirks, and Mrs. Jennifer Mitchell. A Kansas native, Mrs. Erpelding started her journey in music education in Fort Scott, Kansas, where she studied violin in the orchestra program under the instruction of Mrs. Jane Williams. As a violinist, Mrs. Erpelding studied with Carol Cook, Kirt Duffy, Karen Salisbury, Dr. Ralph Carlson, and Lori McKinney. Mrs. Erpelding has also performed as a section violinist with the Lawrence Community Orchestra, the Overland Park Civic Symphony, JCCC Chamber Strings, the Southeast Kansas Symphony, and the Fort Scott and Iola, Kansas Civic Symphonies.