Dr. Jess Johnson
Praised for her “polish and panache" and "fluent, committed, and eloquent advocacy of contemporary pieces," Jess Johnson is passionate about championing new music. As pianist of Sole Nero, a piano–percussion duo noted for performances that “crackle with energy and pinpoint execution” (Fanfare), she has commissioned and premiered over thirty new works. The duo’s debut recording, Musica per Due (Equilibrium) and an upcoming release with Parma Recordings highlight its commitment to expanding the repertoire. An advocate for the adoption of the Donison-Steinbuhler (DS) Standard, her latest recording project Sojourn (Albany Records) features new works by women performed on the DS5.5™ (“7/8”) keyboard.
Dedicated to holistic and inclusive pedagogy, she has given workshops and presentations at leading national and international conferences, including the European Piano Teachers Association International Conference, World Piano Pedagogy Conference, International Society for Music Education, Music Teachers National Association, Performing Arts Medicine Association, National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, as well as held residencies at major universities and colleges throughout North America, South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Her scholarship has been recognized with three American Music Teacher’s Article of the Year awards for “The Art of Listening with Depth, Understanding, Flow and Imagery” (2007), “Feeling the Sound: Reflections on Claiming One’s Own Musical Voice” (2014), and “Awakening Rhythmic Intuition and Flow in the Developing Pianist” (2019). Current research explores cross-modal, multi-sensory engagement in the creative process and the impact of contemplative practices on making music joyfully.
Johnson is Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and directs Piano Pioneers, a community program providing music lessons for economically disadvantaged and at risk youth in Wisconsin. She holds the DMA and MM from the University of Michigan and the BM from East Carolina University.
