Justin Johnston

Justin Johnston is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Music Industry department at Bowling Green State University (BGSU). He holds 15 years of experience in arts management, including pioneering education programs with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Learning Institute, and founding the non-profit Side Hustle Syndicate to support artists. A classically trained clarinetist, he has performed with major orchestras such as The Cleveland Orchestra and Chicago Civic Orchestra, and currently performs with CODE New Music in Columbus.

Education: Artist Diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music, Master’s from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and dual Bachelor’s degrees in Music Performance and Music Education from The Ohio State University.

Research interests focus on arts enterprise, educational program development, and bridging classical performance with modern industry needs. His work includes piloting a DMA specialization in Arts Enterprise at Ohio State and advocating for artist-driven creative economies.

Awards: Distinguished University Fellow at The Ohio State University.

He has been actively involved in residency programs, such as the Klingler ElectroAcoustic Residency, and contributes to initiatives like the MidAmerican Center for Contemporary Music.