Voice pedagogue and bass-baritone Colin B. Johnson ’15, ’20 (Master of Music in Pedagogy – Voice, Doctor of Musical Arts in Pedagogy – Voice) was appointed to the faculty at the State University of New York at Fredonia as a full-time lecturer beginning this August.

Dr. Johnson is a dynamic educator, performer and researcher. As a performer, he has been heard in many opera houses and theatres across the country as well as in Germany and Italy. His voice has been described as “ebullient” in roles such as Figaro in “Le Nozze di Figaro,” Leporello in “Don Giovanni,” Dr. Dulcamara in “L’elisir d’amore,” Méphistophélès in “Faust,” Caspar in “Der Freischütz” and Sam in “Trouble in Tahiti.” Johnson has performed with Opera Colorado, Des Moines Metro Opera, Connecticut Opera, Sarasota Opera, Opera Lancaster and Opera Naples. His other concert works include baritone soloist in Vaughan Williams’ “Five Mystical Songs,” Brahms’ “Requiem,” Elijah in Mendelssohn’s “Elijah,” bass soloist in Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio” and Handel’s “Messiah.” He also performed the bass solo in Verdi’s “Requiem” with orchestra. Johnson is a devoted lieder singer having performed Schubert’s “Winterreise” and Schumann’s “Dichterliebe.” Johnson teaches private voice lessons in both classical and contemporary commercial music. He successfully defended his doctoral dissertation, “The Application of Motor Learning Feedback in the Singing Voice Studio” in 2020, completing his Doctor of Musical Arts in Pedagogy – Voice at Shenandoah Conservatory.