Guy Johnston

Over the last decade, Johnston has forged a place as one of the leading cellists of his generation. Born into a musical family, Johnston joined his brothers in the choir of King’s College Cambridge and went on to study with Steven Doane, David Waterman, Steven Isserlis, Ralph Kirshbaum, and Bernard Greenhouse. Early recognition includes BBC Young Musician 2000, playing at the 2001 Opening Night of the Proms and a Classical Brit newcomer award. Since then, he has played with leading orchestras worldwide and is regularly broadcast on Radio 3. Highlights this year include Schumann, BBC Philharmonic/Sinaisky; Shostakovich, Ulster Orchestra/Slobodeniouk; and Elgar, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic/Shelley.

Since then, Johnston has enjoyed successes with the London Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Manchester Camerata, the Philharmonia, English Chamber Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchester der Hessischer Rundfunk, Musikkollegium Winterthur, St.Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, Gavle Symphony, Lithuanian National Philharmonic and has undertaken tours of Japan with the Katsushika Philharmonic, Senri Philharmonic, and Habiki Strings plus numerous recital engagements in Tokyo, Osaka, Hakone, Kumomoto, Otsu, Kawaguchi and Fukuoka. Conductors he works closely with include Yan Pascal Tortelier, Daniele Gatti, Leonard Slatkin, Robin Ticciati and Alan Burbayev.

Johnston enjoys collaborating in chamber music festivals, notably with Steven Isserlis at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival. He is a founder member of the award winning Aronowitz Ensemble. He regularly attends Open Chamber Music in Prussia Cove and has recently been in residence at Aldeburgh Music with Leon McCawley, studying and performing the works of Benjamin Britten.

Future recitals include the BBC Proms, Wigmore Hall, Kings Place, Cadogan Hall, Moritzburg Festival, Kings College Cambridge, Petworth Festival and Schloss Elmau and he collaborates with Kathy Stott, Charles Owen, Huw Watkins, Tom Poster and Finghin Collins. He is a founder member of the Aronowitz Ensemble who have recently been invited onto the prestigious BBC New Generation Artists Series.

A visiting professor at the Royal Academy of Music, Johnston enjoys connecting with young musicians and also gives classes at the Royal College of Music, Chetham’s School of Music and is currently working on educational projects with the Wigmore Hall. He is a patron of numerous charities including Future Talent, Harpenden Musicale, ‘Cellos Rock!’ and the Neimann Pick Disease Group. Guy recently ran the London Marathon to help raise £20,000 for the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust.