A native of Houston, Texas, Geoffrey Johnson recently completed serving as Acting Second Oboist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Jader Bignamini, a position he held since 2019, following his earlier tenure as Acting Second Oboist from 2014–2017. His long-standing relationship with the DSO began as a fellow from 2009–2012 under Maestro Leonard Slatkin, during which he performed extensively on second oboe and English horn. He is featured as second oboe on several Detroit Symphony Orchestra recordings, including Billy the Kid, Grogh (ballet), Tchaikovsky Complete Symphonies, Brahms Complete Symphonies, John Williams' Concerti, Grammy-nominated Copland Symphony 3, Winton Marsalis's Blues Symphony and most recently Kashperova Symphony in B minor.
In addition to second oboe, Mr. Johnson has also played major English horn solos broadcast worldwide, including works such as Roman Carnival, Pines of Rome, William Tell Overture, Rite of Spring, Rodrigo’s Guitar Concerto, Franck’s D Minor Symphony and Dvořák’s New World Symphony.
Beyond the classical stage, Geoffrey has contributed to a wide range of commercial projects. He appears as English horn & second oboe on Disney’s The Lion King (2019), principal oboe on Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods (2020), second oboe & English horn on Creed III (2022), and oboe soloist on R&B artist Kem’s Christmas album What Christmas Means. He is also core member of the Recollective Orchestra, Sphinx Symphony Orchestra, Gateways Festival Orchestra, and has toured as a guest musician with the Les Misérables Broadway tour in 2023.
Before his time with DSO, Mr. Johnson was a fellow with the Pittsburgh Symphony under Manfred Honeck and was offered the English horn position with the Honolulu Symphony in 2009, which he declined to join the DSO. He has since performed with numerous major orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony, National Arts Centre Orchestra (Canada), Sarasota Symphony, Toledo Symphony, Pittsburgh Opera, Detroit Opera, Seraphic Fire, Fisher Theatre Orchestra.
He has toured both domestically and internationally with Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Recollective Orchestra, Gateways Festival Orchestra, Sphinx Symphony Orchestra, and is an alumnus of the National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge, Colorado.
An avid chamber musician, Mr. Johnson performs regularly with Detroit Chamber Winds, Scarab Club Chamber Society, YOLA faculty woodwind quintet, and DSO colleagues. Performances include Prokofiev Quintet, Mozart Quartet, and Britten Phantasy Quartet, and he has also been featured as English horn soloist in Copland’s Quiet City Orchestra Sonos.
Committed to education, Geoffrey maintains a thriving private oboe studio in Royal Oak, Michigan where he teaches both local and virtual students from across the country. In the fall of 2022, Mr. Johnson was asked to join the faculty of Western Michigan University as Guest Adjunct Professor of Oboe for the 2022–2023 academic year. He has presented masterclasses at universities nationwide and serves on the faculty of the Sphinx Organization, Detroit Civic Youth Ensembles, and the LA Philharmonic’s YOLA National Festival, led by Gustavo Dudamel.
His students have gone on to earn full-tuition scholarships at top universities, win concerto competitions, perform in Michigan, California & Texas All-State orchestras, and attend prestigious summer festivals including Interlochen, National Youth Orchestra, Blue Lake International Festival, and the University of Michigan Summer Institute. Students have also been featured in local media, including the Troy Tribune, Royal Oak Review, and Detroit Performs.
Mr. Johnson holds a Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with renowned oboists John Mack and Frank Rosenwein. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Baylor University under Dr. Doris DeLoach and has also studied extensively with Elaine Douvas of the Juilliard School of Music and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.
In addition to second oboe, Mr. Johnson has also played major English horn solos broadcast worldwide, including works such as Roman Carnival, Pines of Rome, William Tell Overture, Rite of Spring, Rodrigo’s Guitar Concerto, Franck’s D Minor Symphony and Dvořák’s New World Symphony.
Beyond the classical stage, Geoffrey has contributed to a wide range of commercial projects. He appears as English horn & second oboe on Disney’s The Lion King (2019), principal oboe on Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods (2020), second oboe & English horn on Creed III (2022), and oboe soloist on R&B artist Kem’s Christmas album What Christmas Means. He is also core member of the Recollective Orchestra, Sphinx Symphony Orchestra, Gateways Festival Orchestra, and has toured as a guest musician with the Les Misérables Broadway tour in 2023.
Before his time with DSO, Mr. Johnson was a fellow with the Pittsburgh Symphony under Manfred Honeck and was offered the English horn position with the Honolulu Symphony in 2009, which he declined to join the DSO. He has since performed with numerous major orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony, National Arts Centre Orchestra (Canada), Sarasota Symphony, Toledo Symphony, Pittsburgh Opera, Detroit Opera, Seraphic Fire, Fisher Theatre Orchestra.
He has toured both domestically and internationally with Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Recollective Orchestra, Gateways Festival Orchestra, Sphinx Symphony Orchestra, and is an alumnus of the National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge, Colorado.
An avid chamber musician, Mr. Johnson performs regularly with Detroit Chamber Winds, Scarab Club Chamber Society, YOLA faculty woodwind quintet, and DSO colleagues. Performances include Prokofiev Quintet, Mozart Quartet, and Britten Phantasy Quartet, and he has also been featured as English horn soloist in Copland’s Quiet City Orchestra Sonos.
Committed to education, Geoffrey maintains a thriving private oboe studio in Royal Oak, Michigan where he teaches both local and virtual students from across the country. In the fall of 2022, Mr. Johnson was asked to join the faculty of Western Michigan University as Guest Adjunct Professor of Oboe for the 2022–2023 academic year. He has presented masterclasses at universities nationwide and serves on the faculty of the Sphinx Organization, Detroit Civic Youth Ensembles, and the LA Philharmonic’s YOLA National Festival, led by Gustavo Dudamel.
His students have gone on to earn full-tuition scholarships at top universities, win concerto competitions, perform in Michigan, California & Texas All-State orchestras, and attend prestigious summer festivals including Interlochen, National Youth Orchestra, Blue Lake International Festival, and the University of Michigan Summer Institute. Students have also been featured in local media, including the Troy Tribune, Royal Oak Review, and Detroit Performs.
Mr. Johnson holds a Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with renowned oboists John Mack and Frank Rosenwein. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Baylor University under Dr. Doris DeLoach and has also studied extensively with Elaine Douvas of the Juilliard School of Music and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.