David N. Johnson

Who was David N. Johnson?

David N. Johnson was an American organist, composer, educator, choral clinician, and lecturer.

He studied organ and composition at Curtis Institute of Music. Between 1942 and 1946 he served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps/Air Corps in India, Burma, and China, receiving a Meritorious Service Award and campaign ribbons. He continued his music studies at Trinity University and Syracuse University. He also held the associate certificate from the American Guild of Organists.

He was a lecturer at Syracuse University. From 1960–1967, he was college organist and organ instructor at St Olaf College, Northfield MN. He was named music department chair at St Olaf in 1965. In 1967, he succeeded Arthur Poister as professor of music and university organist at Syracuse University. He moved to Arizona in 1969, where he taught at Arizona State University, Tempe. He died in Tempe on August 2, 1987. He was married to Margaret S. Teal, and was the father of six children.

Johnson published well over three hundred compositions, most of them for church use, and was author of an Instruction Book for Beginning Organists and an Organ Teacher's Guide.