Barbara Johnston, Principal Cello

Barbara Johnston, principal cellist of the Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra, has appeared frequently as a soloist with numerous orchestras in the Northwest. Her solo appearances with the Columbia Symphony, Sinfonia Concertante Orchestra, the Newport Symphony, Willamette Falls Symphony and the Cascade Symphony, have included works by Schumann, Elgar, Bloch, Creston, Boccherini, Moor, Vivaldi, Faure, Saint-Saens and Richard Strauss.

Barbara studied music at Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley and the Guildhall School in London. Among her teachers were Colin Hampton, William Pleeth of London's Allegri Quartet, and Raymond Davis, principal cellist of the Seattle Symphony. She has played with the Oregon Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Opera and Oregon Ballet Theater.

In addition to her work as principal cellist with the Columbia Symphony, she is a founding member and principal cellist of both the Newport Symphony, and Sinfonia Concertante Chamber Orchestra in Portland. She plays regularly with the Chehalem String Quartet, a group drawn entirely from the membership of the Columbia Symphony Orchestra.

Barbara lives in a new home in Scappoose with her huband, Craig, the principal tympanist of the Portland Columbia Symphony. In addition to her work as a musician, she has an active law practice in Hillsboro with the firm of Brisbee & Stockton, LLC.