Modern Band Lab 101 with Ken Johnson

Modern Band Lab 101 / Monday & Wednesday (4-6pm)

Ken received his Bachelor of Music from the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, went on to study jazz saxophone at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in Milwaukee with the legendary Berkeley Fudge, and holds a Master of Arts in Humanities/History from California State University, Dominguez Hills. A native of Wisconsin, he currently resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Over the past 40 years, Ken has taught traditional concert band, marching band, jazz ensemble, general music, class guitar, modern band (pop/rock), and private studio lessons in Wisconsin and New Mexico and at every level from pre-school to adult. Having previously taught in Albuquerque Public Schools, the South Valley Band Project through the New Mexico Jazz Workshop and the Berklee School of Music, and 21st Century Public Academy, Ken is the founder and director of the Albuquerque Modern Band Lab and is currently teaching the lab bands out of Warehouse 505 in Albuquerque. He is also a resident staff teacher at the Hummingbird Music Camp in the beautiful Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico, a guest lecturer/teacher with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and lead teacher with the university’s Rock/Pop/Music Production Summer Camp. In addition to teaching, Ken is an active player, composer, arranger, studio musician, and clinician. He has been a contributing writer/composer to Plank Road Publishing and Music k-8 Magazine and currently plays and records as woodwind/saxophonist and horn arranger with The Noms, a nationally acclaimed Indie rock band out of Albuquerque, Dianna Jones in Milwaukee (WI), and award-winning New Mexico/ Latin artists Darren Cordova and Dynette Marie and is a frequent performer at the New Mexico Hispano Music Awards.