BSO pianist Lura Johnson in concert at the Carroll Arts Center

Lauren LaRocca, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
·2 min read

Sep. 13—Steinway artist Lura Johnson is celebrated by critics and audiences for her insightful, emotionally impactful performances. A featured soloist for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and more, Johnson captures, distills and powerfully communicates the spirit and personality of the music she performs.

She'll present selections from her visionary solo project, "The Art of Prelude and Fugue," at the Carroll Arts Center at 2 p.m. Sept. 18. This performance is part of the Arts Center's new Sunday Classics Series, a set of monthly chamber music concerts on Sunday afternoons.

"The Art of Prelude and Fugue" originated in 2017 and is a first-of-its-kind curation of the entire Well-Tempered Clavier of J.S. Bach interspersed with the complete Preludes and Fugues of Dmitri Shostakovich. Many pianists have performed and recorded both the complete Well-Tempered Clavier of Bach and the entire opus of Shostakovich's preludes and fugues. But no one has performed both monumental cycles in their entirety until now.

Presenting these two works interstitially is both shockingly unorthodox and a most natural partnership. The curation both contextualizes an exceedingly well-known work and brings to greater attention a lesser known masterpiece.

Johnson is known for her ability to effectively engage with and educate her audience. In an informal but authoritative manner, she offers advice on what to listen for and provides context for the works she performs in a way that enriches the concert experience.

Johnson is resident pianist of the Baltimore Symphony and Principal Pianist of the Delaware Symphony, positions which synthesize her finely honed ensemble skills, virtuosity and versatility. She has played principal keyboard for seven albums recorded by the Baltimore Symphony

Performing more than 100 concerts annually as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral pianist, Johnson describes her mission this way: "My goal is to vividly and thoroughly bring to life the essence and true character of the music, the way an actor embodies a role with full commitment."

Tickets are $25 for adults, $22 for ages 25 and under and 60 and over. The Carroll Arts Center is at 91 W. Main St., Westminster. Get details at carrollcountyartscouncil.org, or call 410-848-7272.