JOHNSON, Emma

Emma Johnson is an internationally acclaimed clarinettist, recitalist, chamber musician, recording artist, and lecturer. Described by The Times as "Britain's favourite clarinettist," she is recognized as one of the few clarinet players to have established a career as a soloist. Johnson achieved early recognition by winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year at seventeen. She has since become one of the UK's best-selling classical artists, known for her diverse repertoire. In 1996, she was awarded an MBE by the Queen. Her work includes solo performances, chamber music, and recordings, with albums such as "English Fantasy" featuring compositions written specifically for her.

Johnson is a published composer too and during lockdown she wrote a clarinet concerto, Tree of Life, inspired by a need to express something in music about the climate crisis. Its first performance with a handpicked team of like-minded musicians, the Orchestra for the Environment, was a triumph and has led to many more performances throughout the UK. Emma Johnson’s compositions and arrangements have been published by Chesters and Faber Music. Her composition for clarinet and choir, Songs of Celebration, was recently performed in Dublin, London and Tokyo and a series of new works have been published by Queen’s Temple Publishing.