Mikhail Johnson

Education

DMA, Piano Performance, Texas Tech University
MM, Music Composition, Bowling Green State University
MM, Piano Performance, Bowling Green State University
BSc., Biological Science, Northern Caribbean University

Biography

Mikhail Johnson is one of the Jamaica's most distinguished pianists and composers. Deemed by Spoleto Festival USA as “a composer who invites us to consider and reframe our sonic sensibilities,” Johnson’s compositional style merges traditional European classical music and the avant-garde with traditional Jamaican cultural idiosyncrasies.

Johnson’s music has been performed by the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, The Cantus Ensemble in London, The North/South Consonance Ensemble, The Concordia Ensemble of the University of Notre Dame, The Northwest Sinfonietta, Departure Duo, fivebyfive, Verdant Vibes, Transient Canvas, 21st Century Consort and Ensemble Klang. His music has been performed at events such as the 2016 NEOSonicFest and the 2022 International Clarinet Association Clarinetfest®. In 2022 Johnson made his Spoleto Festival USA debut with his composition Evil’s Peak to critical acclaim. In 2025 he made his European debuts at Wigmore Hall, the Muziekgebouw, Korzo Theatre and De Doelen with his new opus Tell! Jonkonnu, Tell!

Johnson has received commissions from the University of North Carolina (Greensboro), Bowling Green State University and Texas Tech University, and music organizations such as the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), the Cincinnati Song Initiative (CSI), the Brooklyn Art Song Society and Seattle Opera for a new chamber opera, making Johnson the first black composer to have an opera commissioned and performed by the company in their 60-year history.

Mikhail has also served as chief adjudicator for several international music competitions in the categories of piano and composition.

mikhailjohnson.com

Accolades

• NEOSonicFest Young and Emerging Composers Composition (2016)
• Composer-in-Residence at the University of Notre-Dame, South Bend, Indiana (2019)
• Transient Canvas Composition Fellowship (2020)
• National Association of Teachers of Singing NATS Mentorship Program for Composers (2021-2022)
• Alea Publishing & Recording Dolphy Prize (2022)
• Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA) Composer Residency Fellowship (2022-2023)
• Seattle Opera Jane Lang Davis Creation Lab Commission (2022-2023)

Recent Work