Biography Jean Johnson
British-American Clarinettist Jean Johnson is an international collaborator in chamber music programmes and as such has played in some of world’s finest venues notably the Concertgebouw, Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, and the Palais des Beaux-Arts. As part of her varied music life, Ms. Johnson is a member of the critically acclaimed trio ensemble,’Metamorphoses’ and forms a duo with pianist Steven Osborne.
Notable chamber music festivals include Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center NYC, International Chamber Music Series Southbank Centre London, Seattle Chamber Music Society, Spannungen in Heimbach, Lammermuir Festival, Festival Peregrinos Musicales in Santiago de Compostela, Bath Music Festival, Hindsgavl Festival Denmark, Schwetzingen, Prussia Cove in Cornwall, St. Magnus Festival in Orkney, and many others. She has collaborated with chamber music groups around the world and has been a concerto soloist with leading orchestras. She has shared the stage with superstar artists such as James Ehnes, Kiri Te Kanawa, Sumi Jo, Yo-Yo Ma, Yefim Bronfman, Lynn Harrell, Nikolai Demidenko and Evelyn Glennie to name a few. Forthcoming collaborations include recitals with pianist Danny Driver, concerts with Metamorphoses, and performances throughout the UK, Spain, Netherlands, America, and further afield.
Jean Johnson was a student of Michael Sussman at the University of Massachusetts. She attended Indiana University as an Associate Instructor in Clarinet, studying with Eli Eban and Alfred Prinz. As a Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival she studied with Theodore Oien. Ms. Johnson began her career with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in the posts of Associate and Acting Principal Clarinet. She still enjoys frequent orchestral collaborations and is a regular Guest Principal with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and has been a Guest Principal with other leading orchestras such the Bergen Philharmonic, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Opera, and Royal Scottish National Orchestra among many others. Jean has recorded both Brahms and Rozsa Sonatas on the Avie label with Steven Osborne. According to the New York Times, “a fine recording by the poised clarinettist Jean Johnson. Beautiful renditions of Brahms’s Clarinet Sonatas Nos. 1 and 2 round out this lovely album.“ Her most recent debut recording with Metamorphoses has earned the trio unanimous rave reviews from major publications around the world.
In her spare time, Jean loves to cook, teaches yoga, and enjoys karaoke. She once had the pleasure of singing back-up for Barry Manilow and dancing on-stage with his other performers.
Jean Johnson and Steven Osborne gave a concert at the Reform Club in London on 26 September, playing their own arrangement of Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata as well as Brahms Sonata No 2, and short selections by Verdi and Ravel.