Conductor / Pianist
Double Bassist
Craig Randal Johnson recently conducted the USA premiere of Finnish composer Jukka Linkola's new opera "Rockland', a production of the Pine Mountain Music Festival, in July 2011. The opera was livestreamed over the internet, seen by well over 30,000 users worldwide. 'Rockland' played to two sold out performances.
'Opera' Magazine, the leading operatic London based publication in the U. K., writes:
“The conductor Craig Randal Johnson brought out the darkness in the music, kept the score and the singers well balanced, and made the musical climaxes pay off.”
Review of 'Rockland' by Michael Margolin/ January 2012 issue
Additional recent conducting engagements include performances at Finnfest 2011 in San Diego CA, the FinnFest 2007 (OH) and 2005 (MI) Symphony Concerts, the Southwest Minnesota Symphony, the Marquette Symphony (MI), the Superior Festival Orchestra (as Music Director), and the Arius Chamber Orchestra (MN). Craig Randal Johnson conducted the 2007 and 2009 'Concerts for Lake Superior' featuring the new Boreal Chamber Orchestra in Marquette MI.
As accompanist Craig Randal Johnson has recently appeared with Finnish baritone Esa Ruuttunen, presenting three recitals as part of the Pine Mountain Music Festival (2011), three recitals in Finland in 2010as well as at Finn Grand Fest 2010 in Sault Ste. Marie, Canada. In 2011 he has played solo piano recitals in Hannover, Germany, Ylivieska, Finland and St. Paul MN. Other appearances include the 2011 and 2009 Freiwilligenzentrum Jubilee programs in Hannover, Germany, at Finnfest 2008 in Duluth, in Thousand Oaks CA at the Seventh Nordic Spirit Symposium, at the Hartt School in Hartford CT, and at Southwest State University in Marshall MN.