Johnson, Jennifer

Jennifer began her musical career in St. John’s, Newfoundland in 1993 when she accepted the position as principal second violin of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra and second violin of the Atlantic String Quartet.

During her twelve years playing with the Atlantic String Quartet, she performed regularly with artists of international acclaim including Krystof Penderecki, Dennis Brott, Patrick Gallois, Rivka Golani, and Anton Kuerti.

In addition to her performing career, she also has a well-established reputation as a pedagogue in St. John’s. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to the advancement of musical education, specifically through the Suzuki Talent Education Program of St. John’s of which she served as Artistic Director from 1998-2002.

In 2004, a generous grant from the Canada Council for the Arts funded a 7-month Alexander Technique sabbatical for Jennifer which permitted her to study throughout Europe and the United States with many of the world’s leading Alexander Technique te
achers. Some of these teachers included Pedro de Alcantara, Walter Carrington, Marjorie Barlow, Joan and Alexander Murray and Barbara Conable. Jennifer went on to train with Barbara Conable and in 2005 became Canada’s first Licensed Andover Educator. She now presents Body Mapping workshops internationally working with musicians who are interested in learning to enhance their musical ability and to prevent injury through a clear understanding of how their bodies are designed to move. Jennifer’s book
What Every Violinist Needs to Know about the Body was published in 2009 and is available from GIA Music Publications, www.giamusic.com.The Japanese translation of What Every Violinist Needs to Know about the Body was published in 2011 by Shunjusha Publications. Jennifer teaches Body Mapping on a per-course basis at Memorial University School of Music.

Most recently, Jennifer has founded a philanthropical concert series in St. John’s called “Less Violence, More Violins” which raises money for Oxfam.