Program
| Composer | Work | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Cécile Chaminade | Pierrette (Air de ballet), Op. 41 | 1885 |
| Maurice Ravel | Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61 | 1911 |
| Francis Poulenc | L’histoire de Babar, FP 129 | 1940 |
| Intermission | ||
| Alexander Scriabin | 5 Préludes, Op. 74 | 1914 |
| Claude Debussy | La plus que lente, L. 121 | 1910 |
| Hanna Kulenty | AtlantissSolo | 2022 |
| Sergei Prokofiev | 6 Pieces from Cinderella, Op. 102: I. Waltz | 1944 |
| 6 Pieces for piano, Op. 52: VI. Scherzo | 1931 | |
| Visions fugitives, Op. 22: XVI. Dolente | 1917 | |
| 4 Pieces for piano, Op. 4: IV. Suggestion diabolique | 1912 |
About the Artist
Carter Johnson
Celebrated for his warm stage presence, compelling musical personality, and provocative repertoire choices, Canadian pianist Carter Johnson is known for making classical music speak to all kinds of audiences with playing described as ”sincere, communicative, and intelligent”, “drop-dead gorgeous”, and even “the greatest thing since sliced bread” (Gramophone).
Johnson rose to prominence in his home country when in 2018 he was declared the winner of two of Canada’s most important national competitions, garnering both the grand prize in the OSM Competition and the first prize in the CMC Stepping Stone competition. He was a finalist in the 2025 Van Cliburn International Competition (the first Canadian in history to do so), the first prize winner of the 2025 Dublin International Competition, and the silver medalist in the 2024 Gina Bachauer International Competition. More recently, Johnson placed second overall in the 2025 Honens International Piano Competition.
Johnson has performed with orchestras including the Montréal Symphony Orchestra, the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre Métropolitain, the Utah Symphony, the Poznań Philharmonic Orchestra, the Victoria Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestra of the Americas. Venues in which he has performed include the Maison Symphonique, the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, Bass Performance Hall, the Kaufmann Concert Hall at the 92nd Street Y, the Shenzhen Concert Hall, Salle Bourgie, and the Warsaw National Philharmonic Hall. Johnson maintains a close relationship with Angela Hewitt, who has been an important mentor and chamber music partner ever since first hearing him perform Bach in Leipzig.
Born in 1996 on Vancouver Island, Canada, Johnson began the study of piano at age 5 with Shelley Roberts, with whom he had the privilege of studying both performance and pedagogy for over 12 years. After continuing his studies with Michelle Mares, he completed a Bachelor of Music with Mark Anderson at the University of British Columbia. He then received a Master of Music from the Juilliard School under the direction of Joseph Kalichstein and Matti Raekallio, and continued to the Yale School of Music where he completed a Master of Musical Arts with Wei-Yi Yang. He is continuing studies at Yale where he is currently a post-resident in the DMA program.
Johnson resides in Connecticut with his wife Hannah and their sons Preston and Ambrose, where he maintains a busy schedule as a concert artist. He and Hannah enjoy cooking together, gardening, watching good films, and spending time outside as a family enjoying the beauty of New England.