SHORT
Bradley Johnson, a classical guitarist and mandolinist in London, distinguishes himself through a deep exploration of contemporary musical expressions. His collaborative efforts in developing new solo repertoire with composers like Gary Carpenter, David Gorton, and Philip Cashian underscore his commitment to advancing modern music. Noteworthy partnerships with luminaries such as Georg Friedrich Haas and Edward Cowie further highlight his influential role in shaping current musical landscapes.
His fascination with modern repertoire ignited with a performance of Tippett’s 'Sonata - The Blue Guitar,' a milestone that earned him the prestigious First Prize in the Ivor Mairants Guitar Award. Classical Guitar Magazine praised his interpretation for its "strongly formed musical ideas and natural spontaneity," setting the stage for his notable recital at the International Guitar Research Conference in 2016.
Formally trained under Professor Michael Lewin at the Royal Academy of Music, Bradley graduated with Distinction in 2019, achieving the esteemed DipRAM, the academy’s highest performance honour as well as First Prize in the Blyth Watson Guitar Concerto prize. A recipient of a full scholarship for the Advanced Diploma course, he premiered and recorded new compositions for the Academy’s Bicentenary ‘200 Pieces’ project. Upon graduating in 2021, he was awarded the Bache Fund Prize.
Since 2018, Bradley has been honoured as a Yeoman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians, and he has been celebrated as an IGF Young Artist starting in 2021. His academic journey includes a First-Class Honours Degree from the Royal Northern College of Music, where he studied under Craig Ogden. Throughout his educational pursuits, Bradley garnered distinctions such as a Special Commendation from the Boise Foundation Scholarship Trust, along with support from the Blyth Watson Charitable Trust Award and the Charlotte Fraser Award.
LONG
Bradley Johnson is a classical guitarist and mandolinist based in London.
Bradley has performed at renowned venues and festivals across the UK, including King's Place, Bridgewater Hall, Duke's Hall, the University of Surrey, Liverpool University, and the Buxton Festival. He has participated in masterclasses with esteemed artists and teachers such as Zoran Dukic, Ricardo Gallen, Jose Antonio Escobar, Elena Papandreou, and Gordon Crosskey.
A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music's Advanced Diploma course, Bradley studied under Professor Michael Lewin and developed a strong affinity for contemporary music. His project has led to four premiere recordings by composers Gary Carpenter, Phil Cashian, David Gorton, and Marino-Arcaro, which have been released by the Academy as part of their Bicentenary.
Bradley's earlier studies at RAM culminated in an MA with Distinction, the DipRAM (the highest performance award conferred by the Academy) During his time there, he performed for the 400+ Series and the Tuesday and Thursday Series, received guidance from Fabio Zanon, and coaching from Professor Stephen Goss and Timothy Walker. He also performed for the Assad Brothers, David Leisner, and early music specialists Nigel North and Elizabeth Kenny. Prior to this he studied with Craig Ogden at the Royal Northern College of Music, where he graduated with First Class Honours.
Bradley has received numerous awards and scholarships throughout his career. These include the Bache Fund Prize, a Special Commendation from the Boise Foundation Scholarship Trust, twice receiving the Blyth Watson Charitable Trust Award, and the Charlotte Fraser Award. He won First Prize in the Ivor Mairants Guitar Award and First Prize in the Blyth Watson Guitar Concerto competition (Royal Academy of Music's Guitar Prize) He was also a Yeoman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians and an IGF Young Artist.
Bradley has represented the Worshipful Company of Musicians at the International Guitar Research Conference (IGRC) at the University of Surrey. He has been involved with the IGRC since, performing at the Centenary celebrations of Reginald Smith-Brindle, where he played solo works and rare guitar duos with Professor Steven Thachuk from California State University—their first performance since their premieres by Julian Bream and John Williams.
Currently, Bradley is a member of the Cerulean Trio with fellow guitarists Michael Matthews and Gonçalo Maia Caetano. Despite being a new ensemble, the trio has already found success, performing at the Uppsala Guitar Festival in Sweden after reaching the final of the festival's competition.
In addition to his work with the guitar, Bradley performs on the mandolin with the Academy Symphony Orchestra, the Manson Ensemble, and the Castalian String Quartet. His performance of Don Giovanni’s Serenade with Academy Opera was praised by Brian Dickie of Chicago Opera as "astonishingly beautiful."
Apart from performing, Bradley is a dedicated teacher. After earning the Academy's teaching diploma (LRAM) with Distinction, he has tutored guitar for the BMus course at King's College London.
Bradley performs on guitars made by Philip Woodfield (Grand Concert II - 'Orsolya') and Manuel Contreras (Doble-Tapa). Residing in Wimbledon, he teaches at the Wimbledon Guitar Society (WiGS), where he also contributes to their concert series and offers performance coaching.