Dr. Craig Hella Johnson

Conductor

Craig Hella Johnson is the founding artistic director and conductor of Conspirare and one of America’s most distinctive voices in choral music. A conductor, composer, arranger, and educator, he is widely admired for crafting thought-provoking musical journeys that create deep connections between performers and listeners. Celebrated as a guest conductor of choral and orchestral works, Johnson is regularly invited to lead festivals, honor choirs, and special performances around the world. Under his artistic leadership, Conspirare’s recordings have received twelve GRAMMY® nominations, including the 2015 GRAMMY® Award for Best Choral Performance, the coveted European Edison Prize, and the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik. 

An important part of Johnson’s artistry is his work with contemporary composers, shepherding new music from creation to performance and helping audiences connect deeply with the voices of our time. His concert-length oratorio Considering Matthew Shepard, premiered and recorded by Conspirare, continues to be performed nationally and internationally in its 10th anniversary year. For decades, he has also personally shaped Conspirare Christmas into a beloved annual tradition, curating each season’s program with distinctive repertoire, guest artists, and arrangements that audiences return to year after year. 

Johnson serves as Professor of Practice in the School of Music at Texas State University, where he teaches conducting and mentors the next generation of choral artists. Previously, he served as Artistic Partner of the Oregon Bach Festival, Music Director of the Vocal Arts Ensemble in Cincinnati, Music Director of Houston Masterworks Chorus, and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Texas at Austin, where he led the graduate program in choral conducting. He is Music Director Emeritus of the Victoria Bach Festival, which he led for 26 years. In 2013, he was named Texas State Musician by the Texas Commission on the Arts, becoming the second classical musician to receive the honor. His awards and honors also include the 2022 Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activities at Texas State University, the Matthew Shepard Foundation’s Dennis Dougherty Award for Community Leadership, Wartburg College’s 2023 Graven Award, the distinguished Chorus America Michael Korn Founders Award for Development of the Professional Choral Art, and the Louis Botto Award for Innovative Action and Entrepreneurial Zeal. In 2008, he was inducted into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame and is proud to call Austin his musical home. 

A Minnesota native, Johnson studied at St. Olaf College, The Juilliard School, and the University of Illinois, earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting from Yale University, and, as the recipient of a National Arts Fellowship, studied with Helmuth Rilling at the International Bach Academy in Stuttgart, Germany. 

Learn more about the 2028 Portugal Choral Festival with Dr. Craig Hella Johnson!