One of the few clarinettists to have established a busy international career as a soloist, Emma Johnson has performed across Europe, the USA and the Far East, as well as in Africa and Australia. In Britain she has achieved great popularity; her two recent discs for Universal Classics & Jazz, ‘Voyage’ and “The Mozart Album”, spent many weeks in the UK Classical CD Charts.

Emma began to study the clarinet at the age of nine. In 1984 she won the BBC Television Young Musician of the Year Competition and was a medal winner in the European Young Musician competition televised throughout Europe. In 1991 she was a winner of the Young Concert Artist Auditions in New York. She studied Music and English at Cambridge University and was recently the first woman to be awarded an honorary fellowship at Pembroke College. Emma has given masterclasses all over the world and was a visiting professor at the Royal College of Music. She was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 1996.

Emma Johnson has appeared as soloist with many leading orchestras including the London Symphony, Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, Hallé, Tokyo Philharmonic, Salzburg Camerata and Netherlands Philharmonic in repertoire that includes over forty different concertos. A new development in Emma’s career has seen her being invited not only to direct from the clarinet but also to conduct orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Mozart Players. She is also in demand as a recitalist and chamber musician, collaborating with quartets such as the Takacs, Lindsay, Brodsky and Contempo. She is director of her own chamber ensemble, ‘Emma Johnson and Friends’, a versatile wind and string group.

Emma has achieved great success as a recording artist, selling a third of a million CDs. Her Finzi Concerto CD was nominated for a Gramophone Award and “Pastoral” was a CD of the year in the BBC Music Magazine. Details of her recordings as well as her concert schedule are available on Emma’s website. Chester Music, Fabers and Kevin Mayhew Publishing have all issued books of Emma's compositions and arrangements.

A frequent broadcaster, Emma’s TV appearances have ranged from prime time chat shows to gala concerts with Cleo Laine and Yehudi Menuhin. Emma’s radio appearances include ‘Artist of the Week’ on both BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM; she has also presented various feature programmes. The theme tune played by Emma for the Victorian Kitchen Garden series on BBC television became a popular hit in the UK.

As well as traditional repertoire, Emma takes an interest in contemporary composers. Her recording of Michael Berkeley’s challenging Clarinet Concerto received widespread critical acclaim. John Dankworth has written several jazz-inspired works for Emma including a clarinet concerto premiered at the Royal Festival Hall with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. She is currently collaborating with composers Will Todd and Stephen Barlow on new works.

Emma Johnson plays an instrument by the English clarinet maker Peter Eaton.