¾«¶«´«Ã½

Second-year Master of Music student Paul Johnson has been selected as the 2025-26 ¾«¶«´«Ã½ and Irving Symphony Orchestra (ISO) Composer-in-Residence.

This residency, founded in 2012 by Meadows alum Hector Guzman (M.M. ’83) and Music Composition program director and associate professor Rob Frank, aims to offer ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Meadows composition students the opportunity to gain professional experience via composing for, and working with, the ISO along with Maestro Guzman.

As the new Composer-in-Residence, Johnson will explore roles with the ISO including educational outreach, pre-concert presentations, performance and direction. He will gain professional experience working alongside Maestro Guzman, Music Director of the ISO, while furthering his career goals and aspirations and will also have one of his original works performed by the ISO. Johnson will also receive a $1,500 award from the Meadows Division of Music as part of the residency.

Johnson’s new work, Overture to ‘The Pleasing and Perfect,’ will be premiered by the Irving Symphony Orchestra during their upcoming "An Epic Beginning" concert this Saturday, October 11 at the Irving Arts Center. In addition to Johnson's work, the concert will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein and include music from audience favorites like Oklahoma, South Pacific and The Sound of Music.

“This will be the first orchestral composition I’ve had premiered, so I expect it to be nothing short of exhilarating,” says Johnson, who is double majoring in Music Composition and Music Theory Pedagogy. “It has been an honor to have the opportunity to work with the Irving Symphony Orchestra and represent Meadows School of the Arts. I've had a phenomenal experience composing for the group and can’t wait to hear it live.”

An emerging composer and multi-instrumentalist from South Holland, IL, Johnson’s work blends performance insight with a fresh compositional voice. Over the years, he has developed a distinctive voice that draws from his background as a pianist, violinist, and brass performer, and his works—rooted in the wind ensemble tradition—reflect his deep understanding of instrumental performance. Following his time at ¾«¶«´«Ã½, Johnson plans to pursue a doctorate in music theory and composition, aiming for a career as a university professor and envisions founding a composition program at a historically Black college or university, creating pathways for the next generation of creative voices.

And being named the next ¾«¶«´«Ã½-ISO Composer-in-Residence is the first step in that journey for Johnson. This program is one of the only opportunities of its kind in the U.S. and continues to be a groundbreaking experience for its chosen student composers.

Tickets and information for the October 11 ISO performance featuring Johnson’s new work can be  For more information about Meadows’ Music Composition program, please click here.