Gordon J. Johnson, Conductor, received his education from Northwestern University and the University of Oregon, where he was twice awarded the prestigious Ruth Lorraine Close Award for doctoral studies. Maestro Johnson has studied with Leonard Bernstein, Erich Leinsdorf, Herbert Blomstedt and Michael Tilson Thomas. He has served as Music Director of the Mesa, Arizona Symphony and also keeps a busy guest conducting schedule. It has included numerous appearances in the U.S. as well as internationally with the Kumamoto Symphony, Japan; L'Orchestra Nationale de Musique, Toulon France; the Guam Symphony and the Wilmslow and Blackburn Symphonies in England.