Erin Johnston is Assistant Professor of Music Theory. She holds an M.Phil. in Music Theory from the CUNY Graduate Center, as well as an M.A. and B.Mus. in Music Theory from McGill University. She is completing a Ph.D. in Music Theory at the CUNY Graduate Center, where her dissertation examines the influence of vocal music on the early symphonies of Gustav Mahler.

Before joining Eastman, Erin taught music theory and aural skills at New York University, the Mannes School of Music, the City College of New York, and McGill University’s Schulich School of Music. Her teaching spans a wide range of musical traditions and approaches, including Western art music, popular music, and global musical practices. Deeply committed to pedagogy, she has served as a Senior Teaching Fellow at the CUNY Graduate Center, mentoring graduate instructors in music classrooms across the university system.

Beyond her dissertation work, Erin’s research interests include musical form, music theory and aural skills pedagogy, and open-access principles in undergraduate music education. She has presented her research at regional and national conferences and contributed to the development of the Graduate Center Music Teaching Hub, an open educational resource designed to support music instructors across CUNY. She also co-founded the Pedagogy Interest Group at the Graduate Center, a forum dedicated to conversations about teaching strategies, assessment practices, and evolving approaches to music education.

Outside of academia, Erin co-runs Board Games for the Better, a nonprofit organization that provides board games and gaming resources to underserved communities across the United States. Through this work, she advocates for the role of games in fostering community and social connection.