Luke Johnson

 Luke was born in Stockton-on-Tees in 1981 and started playing the violin at six years old under the direction of Martin Bainbridge. At the age of 9 he became a member of the National Children’s Orchestra and played with them until he was 14. Having passed Grade 8 with distinction at 15, he went on to become a member of the Northern Junior Philharmonic Orchestra. In his first year he was awarded the Tippett prize for the most promising player. In 1997, whilst at Sixth Form, he began studying with Gillian Bradley at the Royal Northern College of Music’s Junior Department. Luke was also member of the Cleveland Youth Orchestra from the age of 12 and was the leader in his last 3 years there. In his final year with the Orchestra he performed the Saint-Saens Rondo and Capriccioso whilst on tour in Spain and France. In the same year Luke also performed Haydn’s Concerto in G with Egglescliffe School’s Chamber Orchestra in the Royal Festival Hall as part of the National Festival of Music for Youth. Whilst studying Computing at Manchester Metropolitan University, he became a member of the National Musician’s Symphony Orchestra and performed all over the UK.