|
The Americn soprano and voice teacher, Julia Maria Johnson, obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education and Vocal Performance from Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles (2018). At MSMU, she was awarded the Excellence in Student Teaching Award, the Department of Music Faculty Award, and the Sr. Dolorosa Credential Scholarship for exemplary work and promise in secondary education. She obtained her Master of Music degree in Voice and Opera Performance from the University of California, Los Angeles Herb Alpert School of Music (October 2019-June 2021) where she studied under Professor of Voice, Vladimir Chernov. She earned the President’s Award Medal, the highest honor and most prestigious award presented in recognition of her leadership, contributions, and academic and personal accomplishments. At UCLA, she Johnson was a Mimi Alpert Feldman Scholar and received the Steve Lawrence - Eydie Gormé Scholarship for the arts. In competition, she has been District Winner and Regional Encouragement Winner at the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, a top-nine finalist in the Vienna Beethoven Competition in Austria, a top-10 finalist in the McCammon Competition, and a 2nd Prize as well as the Vítězslava Kaprálová Award winner at The American International Czech & Slovak Competition.
In her time at UCLA, Julia Maria Johnson performed the lead role of Penelope in the world premiere of Quake by Kay Rhie, Susanna in W.A. Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro (2021), Euridice in André Campra’s Orfeo nell’inferi (2020), and also filmed, edited, and starred in a multidisciplinary recital highlighting Richard Danielpour’s cycle, Talking to Aphrodite. Her 2022 credits include performances as a Professional Fellow with SongFest at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, a featured soprano with StudioFest Santa Fe at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi directed by Amy Owens, and the soprano soloist for J.S. Bach's Weihnachts-Oratorium with I Cantori di Carmel. An esteemed recitalist, she is known for her fresh programming, vocal versatility, theatrical finesse, and thrilling attention to detail. Her creative compass is guided by collaboration, storytelling, improvisation, and above all, joy. Her captivating stage presence and unique recitals distinguish her as an artist, and led to her being selected as a 2022 Prima Voce Emerging Artist with Pasadena Conservatory of Music.
Julia Maria Johnson is a “standout” soprano praised for her “sparkling vocal agility and emotional sincerity” as well as her ability to navigate "demanding passages with grace and precision.” (Stage and Cinema). She has quickly become a distinctive presence in both traditional repertoire and new works. This Spring, Ms. Johnson makes her LA Opera debut in the role of Meretaten in Philip Glass's Akhnaten. Later this season, she will perform the role of Julia in Lorin Maazel's 1984 The Opera at The Castleton Festival, and she is thrilled to be joining Opera Theater of Saint Louis as a Gerdine Young Artist, where she will cover the role of Clara in The Light in the Piazza. In 2025, she joined the Confidencen Opera & Music Festival Young Artist Program in Stockholm, Sweden, where she covered Zerlina and Donna Elvira in W.A. Mozart's Don Giovanni at the historic Ulriksdal Palace Theatre. She also appeared with LA Opera Connects and performed as the soprano soloist in W.A. Mozart's Exsultate Jubilate with the Lake Union Civic Orchestra.
In the 2024-2025 season, Julia Maria Johnson made three role debuts, performing the role of Pamina in W.A. Mozart's Die Zauberflöte with Genesis Opera, covering Musetta in La Bohème with Opera San Jose, and performing the role of Ernestina in Salieri’s La Scuola de’ Gelosi with Pacific Opera Project. She is thrilled to have performed both new and standard works in opera and recital with companies including The Opera Buffs, Sky Opera, Lyric Opera of Orange County, and Modern Opera Company, as well as singing on many premiere recordings for composers all over the world. She was also a 2024 Resident artist with Opera Naples. There, she sang the role of Phyllis in Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe, as well as the role of Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly.
In addition to performing, Julia Maria Johnson has maintained a passion for music education. In 2023, she joined the adjunct voice faculty at California Lutheran University. She is honored to be nurturing the next generation of music-makers to be the most creative, free, and authentic artists that they can be. She is currently based in Southern California. |
