Matthew Johnson

Matthew Johnson has performed throughout North America in various musical settings. As an orchestral artist, he has performed with many highly esteemed ensembles including Orchestra of St. Luke’s; the New York Chamber Soloists; New York Virtuosi; Vermont Mozart Festival Orchestra; and Lake George Opera Orchestra; and has performed as principal violist of groups such as the Berkshire Bach Society; St. Cecelia Chamber Orchestra; Jupiter Symphony; Lincoln Center Naumburg Orchestra; and Berkshire Opera Orchestra. Johnson has participated in several orchestral premiers including the premier of Sir Paul McCartney’s orchestral work, Standing Stone, performed in Carnegie Hall with Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Other performance venues include Kennedy Center; Avery Fisher Hall; Ozawa Hall; Alice Tully Hall; and Merkin Concert Hall. He has performed under world- class conductors such as Andre Previn; Yakov Kreizberg; James Conlon; Lucas Foss; and Robert Shaw, and worked with renowned artists such as Yo- Yo Ma; Pamela Frank; Andre Watts; and Renée Fleming.

Mr. Johnson studied viola at the Mannes College of Music with Paul Doktor and Karen Ritscher, receiving a four- year undergraduate Diploma, and at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst as a scholarship student of Charles Treger. He has had additional viola training and coaching from Karen Tuttle, Robert Vernon, Joseph DePasquale, John Graham, and Marcus Thompson. Graduating Magna cum Laude from the College of Saint Rose with a BA focusing in the Music and Entertainment Industry and Communications fields, Johnson has also engaged study at Albany Law School and MBA study at St. Rose, and holds a Masters degree in Music Education from Boston University, CFA.

Matthew Johnson has performed for Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM Studios) in Hollywood and in Palm Springs, California, as well as for The Walt Disney World Company in Orlando, Florida, and has toured the United States as a violist with the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra. He has appeared at the Garage, The Kitchen, and in R&B artist, D’Angello’s, “Cruisin” video made for MTV, as well as participating in the Broadway production of “State Fair”, and the Tony Award Winning Production of “Sunset Boulevard”, with Glenn Close.

Mr. Johnson has held various teaching positions. He has served on the faculties of the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV), the Juilliard School of Music (MAP); The College of Saint Rose, the State University of New York at Albany (SUNY); the Mannes College of Music; the Green Meadow Waldorf School; the Southampton Chamber Music Festival; and the New Music School of New England. He has also served as Special Arts Services Auditor for the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). Johnson is currently Lead String Teacher with Empire State Youth Orchestra’s El Sistema based CHIME program.