ABOUT WILLIAM JOHNSTON
photo by Jeff Roffman
William Johnston leads a varied career as a violist and educator based in Atlanta. Praised for his "richly lyrical tone and expressive playing" (ArtsATL.org), his recent performance highlights include his solo debut with the San Jose Chamber Orchestra, an appearance at the Primrose International Viola Festival, and recitals in Florida, Georgia, and West Virginia. He is also heard frequently chamber musician in Atlanta, performing at the Molly Blank Jewish Concert Series, Fringe, Sonic Generator, Kennesaw State University, Emory University, and Eddie's Attic. William is principal violist of The Atlanta Opera and regularly performs with the viola sections of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic, and Sarasota Orchestra. He has appeared at many summer festivals, including Aspen, Kent/Blossom, Sarasota, and as principal violist of the Utah Festival Opera.
A devoted teacher, William maintains a private viola studio in Atlanta. Students of "Dr. Bill" have been accepted as performance majors at institutions such as the Peabody Institute and Indiana University, and regularly win chairs in area youth orchestras and Georgia All-State orchestras. He has presented masterclasses at the Primrose International Viola Festival and at numerous colleges and universities, and during the Fall of 2018 served as visiting faculty at the University of Florida. He is a faculty member of Franklin Pond Chamber Music, coaching chamber music and performing with the Franklin Pond Chamber Players. William is also a Licensed Andover Educator and offers lessons and workshops in Body Mapping, a method of preventing injury and enhancing performance by providing accurate information about the body in movement.
William is a native of Sarasota, Florida and graduated from Pine View School. Beginning music lessons with the piano at age four, he later studied the viola with Dorothy Stahler, Alison Heydt, Victoria Chiang, James Dunham, and Robert Vernon. William received licensure training in Body Mapping from Jennifer Johnson, and studied Suzuki Pedagogy with Kimberly Meier-Sims. He is a graduate of the Peabody Institute and Rice University, and is the first violist to receive the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music.
A devoted teacher, William maintains a private viola studio in Atlanta. Students of "Dr. Bill" have been accepted as performance majors at institutions such as the Peabody Institute and Indiana University, and regularly win chairs in area youth orchestras and Georgia All-State orchestras. He has presented masterclasses at the Primrose International Viola Festival and at numerous colleges and universities, and during the Fall of 2018 served as visiting faculty at the University of Florida. He is a faculty member of Franklin Pond Chamber Music, coaching chamber music and performing with the Franklin Pond Chamber Players. William is also a Licensed Andover Educator and offers lessons and workshops in Body Mapping, a method of preventing injury and enhancing performance by providing accurate information about the body in movement.
William is a native of Sarasota, Florida and graduated from Pine View School. Beginning music lessons with the piano at age four, he later studied the viola with Dorothy Stahler, Alison Heydt, Victoria Chiang, James Dunham, and Robert Vernon. William received licensure training in Body Mapping from Jennifer Johnson, and studied Suzuki Pedagogy with Kimberly Meier-Sims. He is a graduate of the Peabody Institute and Rice University, and is the first violist to receive the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music.
