The article was contributed by Hannah Wang, a marketing and communications intern from the Institute for Music Leadership’s Arts Leadership Program.

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On Monday, October 5, Eastman professor and cellist Joseph Johnson ’95E returns to Kilbourn Hall to perform alongside members of the student cello choir.

Johnson earned his bachelor’s degree at Eastman more than 30 years ago and joined the faculty in fall 2024. Now, he is bringing students onto the stage for a recital that reflects both his artistic interests and his enthusiasm for giving young musicians opportunities to perform.

Johnson speaks fondly of his time at Eastman as a student. “I loved my time at Eastman. It set me up for the wonderful career and life that I have had up to this point,” he says. “There is a positive, nurturing, and encouraging environment at this school that leads to a healthier way of going through life as an artist. I learned these traits while being a student at Eastman, and I think the faculty and students that come here are still carrying this forward.”

A passionate teacher, Johnson previously held the position of associate professor at the University of Toronto. He is currently a regular coach at the New World Symphony in Miami, FL, and has conducted masterclasses at institutions and ensembles including the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, Manhattan School of Music, the Glenn Gould School, and youth orchestras of the Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Chicago, Madison, and Toronto symphonies.

Johnson loves showcasing music written by living, lesser-known composers. He says, “I feel it is my responsibility as an educator to show students that while Beethoven and Brahms are of course amazing, there is a whole wide world out there of incredible music written by people that are alive and well today!”

That philosophy also shapes the way Johnson approaches concerts. He has included numerous students in both this recital and his previous faculty recital, giving them more opportunities to share the stage. “I find that Eastman students are eager to perform,” he says. “Putting students on some pieces is a way to showcase the versatility that exists here, as well as give students an opportunity to perform some incredible music they might not otherwise have the chance to perform.” Two of the three works on the program were requested by his students.

REHEARSAL TIME: Johnson leads members of the student cello choir ahead of the concert on October 5, 2026.

Johnson sometimes likes to choose his programs based on geography. For this program, he features music from Finland, Estonia/Ukraine, and Russia. The program opens with a sonata by Finnish composer Kalevi Aho, whose music Johnson was introduced to after performing his trombone concerto with the Minnesota Orchestra in 2019.

The sonata is followed by a haunting piece for solo cello and choirs by Galina Grigorjeva, an Estonian composer of Ukrainian origin. The work will be conducted by Donald Nally, interim director of choral activities.

A DEEP SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS: Johnson has invited cello students like Ryan Post to join him on stage during his faculty recital.

The program closes with a tour-de-force concerto by Dmitri Shostakovich, one of the most technically demanding pieces in the cello repertoire. “It’s such a fantastic piece,” Johnson notes, “and has amazing parts for the orchestra, especially for solo horn and the winds. It’s a smaller orchestra, almost like chamber music, and everybody has a great part. It’s a great opportunity for students to learn and perform a great work, and a chance for me to play a concerto I don’t get to play too often because orchestras usually don’t want to program it. Plus, cellists love this piece, so it’s a win-win-win situation.”

Among the many students in the orchestra is one of Johnson’s students, Ryan Post. “It’s hard to capture in words how wonderful of an opportunity it is to share the stage with Professor Johnson on his faculty recital!” Ryan shares. “While I have heard him perform in concert and demonstrate concepts in lessons countless times, it is very special to collaborate with him in a performance context and share in this artistic experience. This is my third year in his studio at Eastman, and this recital captures his innovative programming, unique voice, and deep support for students—all qualities that make his artistry so inspiring.”

“It’s an exciting and unique opportunity to, on one hand, be coached as students on orchestral playing by Professor Johnson,” Post adds. “But on the other hand work together as colleagues to perform the work itself. I’m very much looking forward to the performance in October!”

Faculty Artist Series: Joseph Johnson, cello
Monday, October 5, 2026
7:30 p.m. | Kilbourn Hall
(This is a ticketed event)