Biography and Curriculum Vitae  

Craig Randal Johnson makes music as a conductor, solo pianist and collaborator, and at times as a symphonic double bassist.  Based in Minneapolis, Mr. Johnson has performed widely in Germany, Italy, Finland, and across the United States.   Craig Randal Johnson was recently decorated as "Knight of the Order of the Lion of Finland" by the Ambassador of Finland to the United States, for his ongoing activity as conductor and pianist in promoting Finnish music.   He is Artistic Director and co-founder of the Minnehaha Repertory Orchestra, based in Minneapolis.    He holds degrees from Northwestern University (M.M.), and the University of Minnesota (B.A.), with additional study at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, the Dartmouth College Congregation of the Arts, the Aspen Music School, the Monteux School for Conductors,  and the Berlin Conducting Symposium. 

Craig Randal Johnson’s musical focus, particularly as a pianist, has been directed toward 20th-century American works, romantic and contemporary Finnish repertoire, and earlier 20th-century German and exiled composers. Generally speaking, Mr. Johnson features lesser-known or less popular composers in much of his programming. As a conductor, Mr. Johnson has performed several US Finnish premieres. His programming with the Minnehaha Repertory Orchestra includes a wide historical range from the late Baroque to the present.

Craig Randal Johnson has conducted the Florida Symphony Orchestra, opera at the Pine Mountain Music Festival, the Marquette MI Symphony, Rome Festival Orchestra, North Star Opera, Minnehaha Repertory Orchestra, Superior Festival Orchestra as well as six FinnFest symphony concerts, most recently in Duluth.

As Music Director for Stage Plays (Leiter der Schauspielmusik) at the Städtische Bühnen Osnabrück, he conducted music for large-scale Brecht productions. Mr. Johnson held solo and ballet korrepetitor positions in the Braunschweig, Osnabrück and Bremen opera houses, and worked with members of the Finnish National Opera and the Fargo-Moorhead Opera Company. Important conducting professors have included GMD Otmar Suitner (German State Opera), Richard Burgin, Charles Bruck, and Bernard Rubenstein at Northwestern University, as well as mentors Heribert Esser, Pavle Despalj, Leopold Sipe, conductors at the Aspen Music Festival, and instrumental performers and composers.   

As pianist Craig Randal Johnson has performed across the USA as the Finlandia Foundation “Performer of the Year”.   He has appeared in numerous venues playing Finnish music.   Solo recitals have also focused on more recent American music, including premieres by Wynn-Anne Rossi and Elizabeth Austin, and works by Robert Carl, David Vayo and Brian Grundstrom amongst others. Appearances have included at the Amsterdam Concert Series in New York, the Hartt School in Hartford,  Marquette Community Concerts, the Schubert Club and Sundin Hall in St. Paul, the Leibnitz House in Hannover DE, Leinestern programs in Hannover DE, the Rock Church in Helsinki, the Finnish Embassy in Washington D.C. as well as two appearances on WNYC radio in New York with writer and translator Eric Bentley and baritone David Jordan Harris. He has accompanied multiple programs with baritone Esa Ruuttunen, soprano Mimmi Fulmer, baritone David Harris, Icelandic tenor Hreinn Lindal and Elisabeth Wärnfeldt. He has played the Gershwin Concerto in F with the Marquette Symphony, and the Grieg Concerto with the Northern Michigan University Symphony.    

Earlier in his career, Mr. Johnson held positions as Principal Bassist of the Florida Symphony and positions with the Staatsorchester Braunschweig, the Aspen Chamber Symphony and the Columbus (OH) Symphony.  More recently he was double bassist with the Minneapolis-based Arius Chamber Music Society. He has played with the Florida Gulf Coast Symphony, Jacksonville Symphony, Radio Sinfonie Orchester Berlin, the Osnabrücker Sinfoniker, and Staatsorchester Kassel, amongst others. Double Bass professors and teachers have included Joseph Guastafeste (Chicago Sym.), James Clute (MN Orch.), Warren Benfield (Chicago Sym.) and Lucas Drew. In recent years he had the opportunity to visit and at times accompany at, and also play the bass at, sessions led by the great double bassist François Rabbath.  

Beyond music, Craig Randal Johnson’s personal interests include forestry and land use issues, bicycling, and studying historical matters related to northern and eastern Europe in particular. Travel with Craig’s long-time partner Marjory Black is always fun and interesting as well, which often involve musical performance.