Graeme Steele Johnson

Clarinetist and “musical detective” Graeme Steele Johnson gained international acclaim for reconstructing Charles Martin Loeffler’s 125-year-old Octet. His debut album, Forgotten Sounds, was named a New York Times Best Classical Music Album of 2024 and received a Gramophone Award nomination. As Artistic Director of the Loeffler Octet touring ensemble, he has performed at the Library of Congress and The Morgan Library. Since 2022, Johnson has been the clarinetist for the award-winning quintet WindSync. A prolific chamber musician, he has appeared at Ravinia and The Kennedy Center, collaborating with artists like David Shifrin and Bridget Kibbey. His concerto appearances include the Vienna International Orchestra and Springfield Symphony. Johnson’s honors include winning the Hellam and Yamaha Young Artists’ Competitions. He holds a doctorate from CUNY, where he received the Elebash Dissertation Award, and master’s degrees from Yale. Also a curator and arranger, his work has been performed by the Boston Symphony Chamber Players. He serves as Artistic Director of Houston’s Onstage Offstage Chamber Music Festival.