Adam Johnson

Conductor

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Adam Johnson | Conductor Adam Johnson is one of the most versatile and exciting young musicians

to have founded his own orchestra in recent years. The Northern Lights

Symphony Orchestra, of which he is both Artistic Director and Principal

Conductor, has attracted the attention of concert-goers in London since its

formation in 2007 ('Thrilling' Classical Source 2011). Unique among the

outstanding artists of his generation, Johnson is as equally at home con-

ducting opera as he is fulfilling the role of soloist in concerto repertoire,

playing chamber music, or directing his own large-scale compositions.

Adam began his International Conducting career aged 16 at the Glinka

Accademia, St. Petersburg, and has subsequently appeared as Principal

Conductor of Elemental Opera, RNCM Opera, and as Guest Conductor of

Southbank Sinfonia, Suffolk Sinfonia, Oxford University Symphony

Orchestra.

Winner of the Ricordi Operatic Conducting Prize whilst still studying

under Sir Mark Elder CBE, Adam Johnson was invited to assist Ari

Benjamin Meyers on his multi-media contemporary theatre work Il tempo

di Postino as part of the Manchester International Festival. His outstand-

ing contribution to the production led the following year to associate con-

ductorship of the London première of Jonathan Dove's opera Flight with

British Youth Opera under Nicholas Cleobury. His subsequent operatic

successes have included direction of Karol Szymanowski's rarely

performed King Roger and Benjamin Britten's The Rape of Lucretia for

Elemental Opera, a young innovative touring company with whom he

enjoys an ongoing partnership.

A former scholar at the Royal Northern College of Music with the Sema

Group Contemporary Performance Prize to his credit (for his performance

of Lowell Lieberman Concerto No.1 – ‘a bravura…terrific performance’

Liebermann) Johnson continues his piano studies with Peter Feuchtwang-

er who has described him as in possession of 'an excellent technique and full

of fantasy'.

Future plans include developing an ambitious educational programme

in inner London with the Northern Lights Symphony Orchestra, which

enjoys a residency at St Saviour's Church, Pimilco. When time permits

Johnson enjoys Conducting and playing chamber music at the North

Yorkshire Chamber Music Festival.

The composer Oliver Knussen has spoken of the 'extraordinary detail' of

his performances.

Adam was recently elected as a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of

Musicians, and as a member of the Royal Society of Musicians.

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Adam Johnson | Conductor

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Adam Johnson | Conductor | Reviews

“Adam Johnson conducted with care and much feeling for the carefully crafted string melodies that intertwine throughout the work…I was reminded of Sir John Barbirolli.” Review by Edward Clark 2013

“It was a special opportunity and pleasure to listen on February 22th 2013 at the St. Sepulchre Church to this growing orchestra with a particularly interesting and well chosen Nordic program, which expressed together with its conductor the beautiful and well balanced sound in the orchestra with extraordinary soloists.” Satu Jalas (Granddaughter of Jean Sibelius)

“Adam Johnson’s won me over so that by the end I was as pulverised as any in the audience with a glow of spiritual well being.”

Edward Clark 2011

“Terrific”

Thomas Ades 2012

“Resplendent”

Peter Graham Woolf 2012

“Awe-inspiring”

The Sibelius Society 2012

“The night was little short of a glimpse into paradise.”

Joanna Lumley OBE

“Adam Johnson’s won me over so that by the end I was as pulverised as any in the audience with a glow of spiritual well being.”

Edward Clark 2011

“Incisive and Committed”

The Guardian 2010

“A Revelation”

Jonathan Pryce (The Daily Telegraph 2009)

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Adam Johnson | Conductor

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Adam Johnson | Conductor | Repertoire List

Overtures:

Borodin: In the Steppes of Central Asia

Brahms: Tragic Overture

Elgar: Froissart

Mendelssohn: Hebrides Overture

Mozart: Le Nozze Di Figaro

Verdi: La Forza del Destino

Wagner: Die Meistersinger

Concerto:

Brahms: Violin Concerto

Britten: Lachrymae

Bruch: Violin Concerto

Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending

Dvorak: Cello Concerto

Elgar: Cello Concerto

Grieg: Piano Concerto, Orchestral Songs for Soprano

Mozart: Piano Concerto 17, 20 (from Piano), 21

Nielsen: Clarinet Concerto

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2

Saint Saens: Cello Concerto No. 1

Schumann: Cello Concerto

Sibelius: Violin Concerto, Violin Serenade No. 1

Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No. 1

Choral:

Bach: St John Passion

Faure: Requiem

Handel: Messiah

Mozart: Requiem

Symphonic:

Alwyn: Symphony 4, Sinfonietta

Beethoven: Symphony 2, 7

Britten: Matinees & Soirees Musicales, 4 Sea Interludes, Simple Symphony, "Les

Illuminations", Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings

Brahms: Symphony 2

Dvorak: Symphony 8

Grieg: Peer Gynt Suites 1 & 2, Holberg Suite

Janacek: Sinfonietta, Taras Bulba

Khachaturian: Adagio from Spartacus

Mozart: Symphony 36

Pärt: Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten

Prokofiev: Symphony 1

Sibelius: Symphonies 1, 2, 5, Finlandia, Swan of Tuonela, Karelia Suite

Shostakovich: Symphony 5

Stravinsky: Rite of Spring, Pulcinella Suite

Tchaikovsky: Symphony 5, Serenade for Strings, Nutcracker Suite

Tubin: Symphony 5

Opera:

Britten: Rape of Lucretia, A Midsummer Night's Dream

Dove: Flight

Gluck: Armide

Janacek: Cunning Little Vixen

Szymanowski: King Roger

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Adam Johnson | Conductor | Sample Programmes

British

1. Elgar: Froissart

Elgar: Cello Concerto

Britten: Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes

Maxwell Davies: Orkney Wedding and Sunrise

2. Delius: Intermezzo from Fennimore & Gerda

Vaughan-Williams: Lark Ascending

Alwyn: Symphony No. 4

3. Walton: Orb & Sceptre Overture

Britten: Les Illuminations

Elgar: “Enigma” Variations

20th Century

1. Stravinsky: Pulcinella Suite (1911)

Benjamin Britten: Lachrymae

Robin Milford: Ariel

Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1

2. Khachaturian: Adagio from Spartacus

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2

Sibelius: Symphony No. 2

3. Pärt: Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten

Sibelius: Violin Concerto

Tubin: Symphony No. 5

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Adam Johnson | Conductor | Sample Programmes

Romantic

1. Brahms: Tragic Overture

Brahms: Violin Concerto

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5

2. Mendelssohn: Hebrides Overture

Grieg: Piano Concerto

Sinding: Symphony No. 1 in D Minor

3. Wagner: Prelude to Die Meistersinger

Schumann: Cello Concerto

Dvorak: Symphony No. 8

Classical

1. Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro Overture

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor”

Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A

2. Mozart: Die Zauberflöte Overture

Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21 in C K467

Mozart: Symphony No. 36 “Linz”

3. Beethoven: Coriolan Overture

Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor K466 (from piano)

Beethoven: Symphony No. 2 in D

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Adam Johnson | Conductor | Sample Programmes

Choral

1. J. S. Bach: St. John Passion

2. G. F. Handel: Messiah

3. Heyr himna smiður (trad.)

Britten: Rejoice in the Lamb

W.A. Mozart: Requiem

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Adam Johnson | Conductor | YouTube

The Lark Ascending - Jack Liebeck (soloist) (Vaughan Williams)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xFH2MA9kWE

Recent video recording of Symphony 4 (William Alwyn)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB0M2_f7SSo

Soirees Musicales Op. 9 & Matinees Musicales Op. 24 (Britten)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBk89Yon3aw

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Adam Johnson | Conductor

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Adam Johnson | Conductor

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