ADAM JOHNSON

Adam Johnson studied piano with Ka Kit Tam at The Royal Northern College of Music, appearing in Masterclasses with Stephen Hough, Joanna MacGregor, and Nelson Goerner. He also won a scholarship to study composition with Dr Anthony Gilbert, Simon Holt, and Elena Firsova. The Edward Hecht prize for Composition was awarded to him for his Second String Quartet, after it's world premiere at The Montepulciano Chamber Music Festival 1999. He went on to perform Piano Concerto No.1 by Liebermann, earning him the Sema Group Contemporary performance prize 2000, giving "a bravura...terrific performance" (Liebermann).

His interest in composition and contemporary repertoire affords him not only frequent Avant-Garde performances, and commissions, but also performances of piano music from the 20th and 21st Century, most recently appearing Live on Radio 3, performing Magnus Lindberg's TWINE, as part of the Prom's Chamber Music Recitals. Oliver Knussen described it as "a performance of extraordinary detail"

Adam has given recitals throughout the world including Istanbul, New York, Northern Spain, Norway, and Rio da Janiero, not to mention his demanding schedule in the UK. Most recently he was awarded the Ricordi Operatic Conducting Prize while completing a Masters Degree in Conducting at the RNCM, studying with Sir Mark Elder C.B.E and Clark Rundell.

Adam is the Principal Conductor of The Northern Lights Symphony Orchestra which was formed earlier this year bringing together friends from the professional orchestral stage, whose recent inaugural concert enjoyed huge success and they look forward to a busy forthcoming concert schedule.

"a sincere musician of many talents"
- Edward Gregson

"An outstanding pianist"
- Clark Rundell

"...outstanding originality and passion in his performances"
- Christopher Rowland

"A pianist with an excellent technique and full of fantasy"
- Peter Feuchtwanger