Joseph Johnson has been heard throughout the world as a soloist, chamber musician, and educator. His festival appearances include performances in all classical genres at the American festivals of Santa Fe, Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society, Bard, Cactus Pear, Caramoor, Grand Teton, and Music in the Vineyards as well as the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan, and the Virtuosi Festival in Brazil.
Highlights of Joseph Johnson's 2011/2012 season include a six-city tour this past fall with pianist Victor Asuncion featuring repertoire from their exciting album (to be released spring of 2012) of the Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich Sonatas. Joseph also recently completed a special recording project with the G. Schirmer Instrumental Library: The Cello Collection. Published in three volumes by Hal Leonard and featuring companion recordings by Mr. Johnson, this project presents cello literature appropriate for recitals and contests and is available online and from major music retailers.
In March 2012 Joseph will perform the world premiere of the Cello Concerto Grosso by Peter Oetvos with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, a co-commission with the Berlin Philharmonic. He will be performing more concerts in the US with Victor Asuncion, performing the Barber Cello Concerto with the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra in April, as well as appearing in the summer of 2012 at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival.
Principal cellist of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra since the 2009/2010 season, Joseph previously held the same position with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. He also serves as principal cellist of the Santa Fe Opera, and during the 2008-2009 season, was guest principal cellist of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra. Prior to his Milwaukee appointment, Joseph was a member of The Minnesota Orchestra cello section for eleven years, during which time he performed numerous chamber music works during the orchestra's Sommerfest, both as cellist and pianist. He was a founding member of both the Prospect Park Players and the Minneapolis Quartet, the latter of which was honored with The McKnight Foundation Award in 2005.
