Robert Johnson - french horn

 

Born in Sydney, Robert Johnson studied the French Horn at the NSW Conservatorium of Music. After holding the positions of Principal Horn with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, Robert was appointed as Principal Horn with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 1986, a position he has recently retired from. During his time with the SSO, he has performed as soloist in works by Mozart,Strauss, Britten and Ross Edwards.

 

In 2009 he commissioned and premiered with the SSO a new Horn Concerto entitled Lightfall by Sydney Composer Christopher Gordon. He has also appeared as Guest Principal with all the major Australian Orchestras,The Australian Chamber Orchestra and the New Zealand Symphony. He has played Chamber Music with the Australia Ensemble, Sydney Soloists and New Sydney Wind Quintet and has appeared at the Huntington and Townsville Chamber Music Festivals. As a teacher, he has worked as Senior Horn Lecturer at the NSW Conservatorium of Music and Canberra School of Music and has appeared as Artist in Residence at Universities and Music Schools in Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Hong Kong. 

 

Apart from Horn playing, Robert has also sung Medieval and Renaissance Songs in

“another life” as a Counter Tenor with groups such as the Renaissance Players of

Sydney University and the Leonine Consort.

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Photo credit Keith Saunders.