He is a bass singer, keyboardist, conductor and composer born in Tyler, Minnesota, who began learning the organ when he was six and who later sang and played the trombone while at high school. He studied Folklore & Mythology and Music at Harvard University and Music Performance at Radford University.
He has been involved with a number of ensembles from the time he started further education and they have included The Catholic Student Association Choir, The Harvard Glee Club, the Saint Louis Archdiocesan Chorus, the Saint Louis Symphony Chorus and the Saint Louis Chamber Chorus as well as several church groups and youth religious events.
As a conductor he has led many groups such as Radford University ensembles, the Dunster House Opera Society and he holds the positions Principal Accompanist at Congregation Shaare Emeth, and Choral Conductor, Principal Keyboardist and Coordinator of Music and Liturgy at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows.
He has appeared on several recordings with the Saint Louis Chamber Chorus including A Spanish Christmas and Songs of the Soul and with his group, Oddwalk Ministeries, on their Walk Away Different. As a composer he has written several sacred works that include congregational, solo and choral pieces. He received his master’s degree at the Aquinas Institute of Theology in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Saint Louis Chamber Chorus Recordings
The Angel Gabriel (Traditional Basque/Sabine-Baring Gould)
SLCC 04 (CD: St Louis Chamber Orchestra: A Spanish Christmas)
Arranger: Edgar Pettman
Conductor – Philip Barnes
Here he is with Oddwalk Ministries…
Sources:
- https://orinjohnson.com/a-little-bit-about-me/
- http://www.chamberchorus.org/orin-johnson
- http://www.snows.org/Events.aspx?path=root/english/Events/music
- http://www.oddwalkministries.com/
- http://www.giamusic.com/bios/orin-johnson