Canadian pianist, Penny Johnson holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance from the Manhattan School of Music, as well as Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees from the Eastman School of Music. Active as a soloist, Penny maintains a YouTube channel devoted to the music of J. S. Bach.
A semi-finalist at the 8th International J. S. Bach Piano Competition in Würzburg, Germany and a recipient of grants from The Banff Centre and the Canada Council for the Arts, Penny is in demand as a coach and adjudicator, having adjudicated numerous festivals including Beckettfest at Laurier, ORMTA, Peel Music Festival and the South Simcoe Arts Council Music Festival.
A former member of the College of Examiners for The Royal Conservatory, Penny has taught at several music schools, including the Conservatory of Performing Arts at the University of Regina. Currently, she maintains a private teaching studio.
As the creator of Piano Stories with Penny, The Great Pianists: Stories, Music & More and New Adventures in Piano Listening, Penny has a passion for the history of great pianists. She has also curated a program of works for solo piano, to accompany Carl Th. Dreyer’s classic silent film, The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) and enjoys performing vintage piano parlour music and Ragtime pieces from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
A former contributing author for The Glenn Gould Foundation, Penny maintains a blog (Further North) devoted to the iconic Canadian pianist. She has also worked for Steinway & Sons, both in New York City and Canada and has served on the Board of Directors as Vice President of The Chamber Music Society of Mississauga.
During the pandemic, Penny created From Stage to Page, a podcast devoted to the forgotten stories and memoirs of female performing artists from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She has also been researching her teacher, the late American concert pianist, Constance Keene.
