Linda Johnson

Linda Johnson is originally from Alton, Illinois, and was a student, performer and teacher in that state.
She was fortunate to have been in a school system that valued music, both vocal and instrumental, to
the highest degree and received a very good musical education, particularly in music theory and
orchestral music, and also in theatre. Mrs. Johnson’s first instrument was the double bass and was
inspired by a performance at her junior high school of the Dragonetti “Concerto in A” by her soon-to-be
private instructor, Harold Eyster. Under his tutelage she began her orchestral playing career at the age
of 14. Her instructors included Cyril Stuchlik, Leroy Fritz, Edward Krolick and Warren Benfield of the
Chicago Symphony. Performing in the Chicago area in many orchestras and chamber ensembles, as well
as recording at the Columbia Studios, has been a personal highlight in her career.
The Anesthetic Experience was a string ensemble made up of students from schools throughout the
Pikes Peak region that was started out of a need for more playing opportunities for them in the 1990’s.
It was a wonderful personal achievement for Ms. Johnson and those students are now adult friends.
Ms. Johnson has been a public school teacher since 1972 in Illinois, Michigan, and Colorado. The last 44
years have been in Peyton CO 24J and Colorado Springs School Districts 11, where she taught at five
schools each year in the orchestra area before retiring as a full-time teacher in 2006. After retiring, she
continued teaching orchestra at Chipeta Elementary School for an additional 16 years. Mrs. Johnson
has received numerous awards and accolades throughout the years for her work with beginning strings,
particularly the double bass, and has been a clinician and speaker at conferences.
Ms. Johnson was President of the Colorado Chapter of the American String Teachers Association
beginning in 2010, as well as their webmaster for ten years. She has also worked with the Colorado
Springs Youth Symphony Association for several years as one of their double bass coach, and also served
on the Board of Directors in the 1990’s. Beginning in 2015, Ms. Johnson served on the Colorado Springs
Philharmonic Guild Board for two terms. A staunch believer in the strength of music, she also is a
member of the Pikes Peak Opera League and supports KCME Classic/Jazz Radio.