Sarah Johnson

Sarah Johnson, Associate Professor of Violin Emerita for the Petrie School of Music at Converse College, Concertmaster Emerita of the Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra founded what has become Chamber Music on the Hill at Converse College over 34 years ago during the summers at the UNC School of the Arts. A dedicated teacher, her students have been laureates in national and international competitions, and have matriculated at schools like Juilliard, Vanderbilt, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Oberlin, and are working successfully in the field. She  has performed on five continents as soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. Gian-Carlo Menotti invited her to give her European debut at the Spoleto/Festi dei Due Mondi after hearing her performance of his violin concerto at the Spoleto/USA Festival in Charleston, SC. and Pulitzer winning composer Robert Ward wrote his only violin concerto for her.  Professor Johnson has given masterclasses and concerts in summer festivals, including  Brevard, Grand Tetons, Austin Chamber Music Festival, the Franschoek Music Festival/South Africa, the Harlaxton Music Festival/Great Britain, and the Festwoche klassicher Musik in Germany. Her discography includes Scarlet&Blue, American Romantics and Fiddler’s Galaxy all on the Albany/Troy label.  She is a graduate of The Curtis Institute of Music where she was a student of Ivan Galamian, Jaime Laredo and the Guarneri Quartet.

 

 

 

Karen Collins

Violinist, Assistant Director, and Scheduling Coordinator of Chamber Music on the Hill, Education Director of Greensboro Symphony, conductor of Greensboro Symphony Youth Strings, and Suzuki specialist. Former member of Philharmonica de Caracas in Venezuela, Columbus Symphony, and Cleveland Opera. Karen holds Masters in Violin Performance from Florida State University. She studied with Karen Clarke, Patricio Cobos, and Paul Biss.

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