Mary Grace Johnson

Mary Grace Johnson is a renowned violinist who has mesmerized audiences globally with her solo and chamber performances in cities as diverse as New York and Budapest. She holds a Master of Music degree from the prestigious Juilliard School, where she was trained by the illustrious Laurie Smukler.

At the tender age of just 17, Mary Grace made her debut as a solo performer with the Nashville Symphony when she won the Grand Prize of the CURB Records concerto competition. She went on to win the state, division, and national levels of the Music Teacher’s National Association Young Artist String competition in 2017, held in Baltimore, Maryland. Her musical prowess has enabled her to perform as a soloist with many acclaimed orchestras, such as the Vanderbilt Symphony Orchestra and the Curb Youth Symphony. Her string quartet, the Unison Quartet, made it to the final round of the Bartok World Competition in Budapest in 2021, earning an honorary mention for their talent.

Mary Grace’s passion for orchestral music is evident in her role as concertmaster of several renowned orchestras like the Vanderbilt University Orchestra, Rice University Chamber Orchestra, and Juilliard Orchestra. She has played with many noteworthy orchestras such as Nashville Symphony, Gateway Chamber Orchestra, and Bryan Symphony. Mary Grace also fosters the love of art in the next generation by teaching violin, chamber music, and coaching young musicians. She has been trained in Suzuki Method at Vanderbilt University and has been teaching violin since ninth grade.

Mary Grace holds several academic qualifications, including a Founder’s Medal from Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music, a degree in viola from Kathryn Plummer, and extensive training in baroque violin under Allison Nyquist and Cynthia Roberts. She is currently studying with Paul Kantor at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, working toward her Doctor of Musical Arts degree. Mary Grace’s masterpiece performances and teaching are evidence of her immense talent and passion for music.