Richard Lawrence Johnson

Richard Lawrence Johnson is a Professor of Music at Coastal Carolina University, with over 30 years of experience in higher education. Previously, he served at Salisbury University and held administrative roles such as associate provost for graduate studies. His career includes conducting collegiate and community ensembles across Illinois, Maryland, South Carolina, and internationally in Hungary and Italy. Dr. Johnson’s expertise spans Wind Band literature, conducting pedagogy, and instrumental literature.

• Education
  • D.M.A., Conducting, Michigan State University
  • M.S., Music Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • B.S., Music Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

His research and teaching emphasize Wind Band literature and conducting pedagogy. He has collaborated with composers like David Rakowski and Frigyes Hidas, whose work Euphoniada was selected as a required piece for the Leonard Falcone International Competition. Dr. Johnson’s performances have earned accolades from composers such as John Frantzen and Beth Wiemann.

• Professional Roles
  • Past president of the Maryland Council for Higher Education in Music
  • Past president of Maryland CBDNA (15 years of service)
  • Member of regional CBDNA committees
  • Representative to South Carolina and Maryland Higher Education Executive Councils
  • Lifetime member of the Percy Aldridge Grainger Society
  • Honorary member of the Rho Nu chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
  • Guest conductor at American Academy of Rome, U.S. Naval Academy Chamber Music Series, and Maryland Music Educators Association

He has conducted over 30 all-county and regional high school festivals, served as a clinician and adjudicator, and developed televised concert broadcasts with the Salisbury University Wind Ensemble through a grant from the Charles and Martha Fulton Endowment. His international research engagements include visits to Genoa, Lucca, Milan, Pisa, and Turin, where he toured institutions like the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory and Biblioteca Statale di Cremona.