Andrew Johnson

Andrew Johnson joined the National Arts Centre Orchestra in September 2024 for a one-year position and has been the Principal Percussionist of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra since June 2019. Before joining the WSO, Andrew was Principal Percussionist of the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec. Andrew is a former fellow at the New World Symphony and has appeared professionally with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Sarasota Orchestra, and the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. He has performed under conductors Christoph von Dohnanyi, Michael Tilson Thomas, Robert Spano, and Stéphane Denève and attended a variety of summer festivals, including the Tanglewood Music Center, Spoleto Festival USA, the Texas Music Festival, and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. 

In addition to orchestral playing, Andrew enjoys performing contemporary solo and chamber music and, within this context, has worked under the guidance of Steve Reich, Dawn Upshaw, Steven Drury, and Steve Mackey. Andrew grew up in Nova Scotia and studied at Boston University with Timothy Genis and at the New England Conservatory of Music with Will Hudgins. He enjoys playing and watching hockey in his spare time and spending time with his wife, Lia, and their dog, Henry. Andrew is an endorser of Zildjian cymbals and Freer Percussion products.