Aaron Krister Johnson is a Chicago-based multi-keyboardist, teacher and composer. Ever eclectic and multi-faceted as a keyboard artist, Mr. Johnson's experience ranges from the Western classical keyboard tradition, to folk music and to modern electro-acoustic free improvisation. The Chicago Sun-Times called his composition 'evocative', and his keyboard improvisations with have been hailed by Keyboard Magazine as "challenging and creative". His work has been hailed by Chicagocritic.com, the Chicago Tribune, the Windy City Times, and the online music journal Tokafi.com
Mr. Johnson is founder and artistic director of UnTwelve, a concert series dedicated to exploring the current and historical frontiers of music written in alternative tunings. He has collaborated with the Fine Arts Chamber Players, The Artistic Home, Lyric Opera, Lira Ensemble, Chicago Children's Choir, Kiltartan Road Ensemble, Lakeside Shakespeare, and the International Music Foundation, among others. He has also made appearances at Chicago Irish Fest, Milwaukee Irish Fest, and the Old Town School of Folk music. Mr. Johnson is the pianist, organist, and choir director at Temple Sholom of Chicago, the largest Reform Jewish congregation in Chicago, and home of a historic 4-manual Wurlitzer organ.
In recent years, he has worked in the area of composition of incidental music and soound design for theatre. His score for 'Peer Gynt' was nominated for a 2005 Joseph Jefferson award for outstanding original incidental music for a play. Other theatre music and sound design credits include 'Petrified Forest', 'Clash by Night', 'Madwoman of Chaillot' and 'Natural Affection' for the Artistic Home, and Lakeside Shakespeare of Michigan's productions of 'Twelfth Night' and 'Julius Ceasar'.
Mr. Johnson originally received his education at the Manhattan School of Music Preparatory division, the State University of New York at Purchase (BFA Magna Cum Laude) and Northwestern University (MFA Magna Cum Laude) for his graduate studies.
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