Eric Johnson

April 5, 2009 - Lincoln Center

Eric is Director of Choral Activities at Northern Illinois University where he directs the Concert Choir, Chamber Choir and teaches choral literature and conducting. Ensembles under his direction have been featured in live public radio concerts, have appeared with many professional orchestras, and have performed at national and state conventions for the Music Educators National Conferrence, the National Collegiate Coral Organization, and the American Choral Directors Association.

In spring 2007, Eric served as guest conductor of the Clare College Chapel Choir, Cambridge England and worked with Sir John Tavener on a commissioned piece for the NIU Chamber Choir. He has studied conducting with Helmut Rilling, Dennis Keene, Robert Fountain, and Weston Noble. Johnson has had articles published in the Choral Journal and presented interest sessions at national, divisional, and state ACDA conventions.

He is active nationally as a clinician presenting sessions on developing audiation skills in the choral rehearsal and refining expressive conducting gestures through Laban techniques. As a guest conductor and adjudicator, Eric has worked extensively with festival high school choirs from Michigan to Montana. He is also the Music Director of the Bach Chamber Choir and Orchestra, Rockford, IL, and is Past-President of the Illinois-ACDA. He earned degrees from University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Luther College.