Ann Johnson is a songwriter, pianist, organist, lyricist and composer. Albums in production: A Hymn For All Seasons, A Tribute to Isaac Watts ; The Christmas Story; The Beginning (video series on creation).. Since 2014, she has been an Artist Manager at Sound Praise LLC in Bellevue, Washington, and heads up Alpha & Omega Christian Songwriters.
Former professions: Vocalist, pianist, church organist, private piano and voice teacher, high school music teacher and choir director, songwriter. “Throughout high school and college, I was a church pianist, organist and soloist. I sang for weddings, played piano and organ for many other occasions, sang solo in Handel’s Messiah in a college concert, Gospel solos for the radio program ‘Little Church on the Hill’ on Saturday nights, also played accordion and piano for the Gospel Mission in Riverside on Saturdays. I became a Christian the summer before my senior year in high school. At the end of high school, I had been accepted at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, and fully expected to embark on a professional music career as a vocalist. But God has His ways of putting our feet on the right path. I changed my plans at the last minute, and followed my friends to a Christian college in Southern California. That decision was one of the best of my life. My feet were firmly planted in the Gospel, having chosen a music major and Bible minor. I then began my lifelong love for serving on worship teams. I would not trade my years in Gospel music for anything in the world.
The best part of my life is right now…I am married to the love of my life and best friend, Mike Johnson, master electrician. I am living a dream come true: songwriting full-time, and shepherding a very talented collection of songwriters and performers.”
Mentors/professors/teachers:
Grace Geyser:
“My love of music began when I was in the 6th grade. My mother bought me a piano, and started my love of music through lessons with a great local teacher. I look back now, and I am amazed at the kaleidoscope of talents that one music teacher had: Grace taught me how to play piano; but above that, she taught me how to read classical music, play by ear, write down songs I heard on the radio (then play them), and write my own music. From her I learned music theory, a love for piano, organ, opera, and classical music. She also gave me singing lessons. She coached me in the Bel Canto method of singing, and taught me a wide range of performing, from being a diva soloist on the stage, to a humble accompanist for a crowd wanting to sing Christmas Carols. With the help of Grace, I was soon playing the piano for school dances and programs, and I became a crowd pleaser, playing hits off the radio, all by ear. She was a great encourager, and a truly remarkable personality.”
Laura Lee Lukas:
Concert pianist, 4th generation Beethoven student. (Wager Swayne,Theodor Leschitizsky, Czerny, Beethoven). “When I was a teen, and in my early 20’s, I took lessons from Laura for 5 years. Laura taught me how important discipline, hard work, and following a method were, to accomplishing a goal. I will forever be grateful to her for making me practice 5 hours a day (I wasn’t all that grateful in high school and college, though…). She gave me the confidence and grace to make it all the way through a complicated piece, and show appreciation for applause. (but I have to tell you….I don’t miss the stage fright…)”
Gerard Faber: From the Netherlands, Faber was 3rd top organist in the world at the time of my lessons. Lessons for one year. Gerard was such a master that he was famous for being able to compose a fugue on the spot, in front of a crowd of hundreds of people. He would have someone in the audience hum a random short little tune, then produce a masterpiece from it.
Elmer Bernstein, Lawrence Foster (they were the Alexandre Desplat and Hans Zimmer “back-in-the-day”): spent one summer in an orchestra and choir under their direction.
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Famed Italian composer and conductor. I performed in the opera chorus of the world premier of his opera “Song of Songs”. Mario was present at the concert. It was a beautifully set opera and an honor to be chosen to sing with them.
ANN JOHNSON SONGS – “SONGS THAT GIVE YOUR HEART A VOICE”
Phone: (425) 283.8930
Email: annjohnsonsongs@icloud.com
Artist Manager, SOUND PRAISE LLC
Founder and Host, Alpha and Omega Christian Songwriters, 2014-2017, Seattle Washington
Professional associations:
Home – The Gospel Music Association
BMI
Nashville Songwriters Association International
SongU, Broadjam, Taxi.com
Songwriters of the Northwest Guild (S.O.N.G.)
Songwriters in Seattle (SIS)
American Guild of Organists (AGO)
Savannah Songwriters
CWVFF Christian World View Filmmakers
Ann Johnson Music 