Julia Farhi Johnson was 5 years old when she started playing the violin in New Windsor, NY. She received her Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance from the Northwestern University Bienen School of Music in Evanston, IL. Soon after, Mrs. Johnson started a masters degree at the Manhattan School of Music in New York. She left New York when she became a member of the New World Symphony in Miami, FL.

Under the leadership of music director Michael Tilson Thomas, Mrs. Johnson performed as a member of the New World Symphony in Brazil, Argentina, Monaco, and Israel. In the United States she performed with the orchestra in many venues across the country including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center. While in Miami, she was a member of the Plymouth String Quartet in residence at Florida International University.

In 1998, Mrs. Johnson moved to Charlotte to play in the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. She played with the symphony for three years until leaving in 2001 when she won the principal second violin position in the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. After four seasons as the principal second violinist in Knoxville, Julie moved back to Charlotte to get married. She then performed in the Charlotte Symphony and in other performing groups throughout the area, including the North Carolina Symphony and the Charleston Symphony.

A job change for her husband recently brought Mrs. Johnson to Arlington, TN. She is already performing regularly with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and looks forward to getting more involved in the performing arts in the Memphis area. Recently she has been able to perform with the Blueshift Ensemble and as part of the Memphis Chamber Music Society.

Most recently Julie has started performing as a substitute occasionally with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

Mrs. Johnson has also participated in various summer music festivals including the National Repertory Orchestra and the Breckenridge Music Institute in Colorado; Manchester Music Festival in Vermont; and as a performer and teacher in the Wintergreen Music Festival in Virginia. In the summer of 2005 she also traveled to Peru to perform with the Cedar Springs Choir as part of a global missions trip.

Julie lives in Arlington, TN, with her husband Andy, her 6 year old son Nate, and her two dogs Jenna and Jethro.

Contact Me

5782  Bridal Cove , Arlington  TN 38002                                    704-517-7418                                                                                 juliejohnsonviolin@gmail.com

"Throughout her career Mrs. Johnson has always kept a vibrant, active home studio. Her students have been involved in youth orchestras, school music programs, summer camps and music ministries at various churches. She is just as excited to first place a violin in a new student's hand as she is to see a student successfully go off to college to start a career in music. Her approach to teaching is with the same enthusiasm, creativity and commitment to excellence that she gives to her performing."

As an educator, Mrs. Johnson was very involved with education at the Charlotte Symphony and the Knoxville Symphony. Her activities in Charlotte included performing in prelude ensembles; healing hands; residencies in elementary schools with Education Explorations through Music; and coaching ensembles at Northwest School of the Arts through the Instrumental Music Initiative. In the Knoxville Symphony as the principal second violinist, Mrs. Johnson was a member of the principals string quartet which presented educational concerts in many venues. She also occasionally coached the youth orchestra and was also a coach of the Union Symphony Youth Orchestra in North Carolina. 

Most recently, Mrs. Johnson was the Strings Instructor at Covenant Day School in Matthews, NC, where she led the entire string program.

Throughout her career Mrs. Johnson has always kept a vibrant, active home studio. Her students have been involved in youth orchestras, school music programs, summer camps and music ministries at various churches. She is just as excited to first place a violin in a new student's hand as she is to see a student successfully go off to college to start a career in music. Her approach to teaching is with the same enthusiasm, creativity and commitment to excellence that she gives to her performing.