
Conducting
My earliest childhood dream in music was to be an orchestral conductor – a dream that never wavered throughout my various musical ventures. I came to conducting relatively late compared to some of my other musical experiences, receiving my first private training from Hendrik Hofmeyr at the University of Cape Town and Travis Cross at UCLA in 2015. My passion for conducting came to fruition during my studies at the University of Louisville when I was finally able to pursue it professionally. Today, as I continue my studies in conducting during my Doctor of Musical Arts degree, I consider conducting to be as important to me as composition.
My endeavours in orchestral conducting strives for a well-rounded education with a careful balance between exposure to standard repertoire and techniques for contemporary music direction. Furthermore, I believe that my undiluted energy and expressive conducting language offer a unique and refreshing take on modern conducting.
Over the past two years, I have had numerous conducting opportunities while working with professional orchestras, university orchestras, new music ensembles, and choruses. I have led multiple orchestra rehearsals, sectionals and appeared on stage as conductor more than a dozen times. Notable performances and repertoire studied are listed below.
Recordings from performances where I appear as conductor can be found on YouTube by clicking on the following link:
Listen
Excerpt from the complete work.
Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
Johannes Visser conducts
The University of Louisville Symphony Orchestra.
Recorded on October 31st, 2019 at the
Margaret Comstock Concert Hall.
© Copyright Johannes Visser
Isle of the Dead, Op.29 (1908)
Music from Ghostbusters
Written by Ray Parker and Elmer Bernstein
Arranged by Brad Ritchie
Johannes Visser conducts
The University of Louisville Symphony Orchestra.
Recorded on October 31st, 2019 at the
Margaret Comstock Concert Hall.
© Copyright Johannes Visser
Who Ya Gonna Call???
More media coming soon!
Notable Recent Repertoire Additions
for orchestra, orchestra and chorus
Composition
- Overture to Fidelio
- Variations on a theme by Haydn
- Fanfare on motifs of Die Gurrelieder
- Isle fo the Dead
- Who ya gonna call??
- Mass in C
- Te Deum
- Hai gia vinta la causa (Nozze di Figaro)
- Dreamscape no.3
- Rhapsody in Blue
- Colonial Dance
- Symphony in E minor
- The Messiah
- Mass in B minor
- Missa Solemnis
Composer
| L. van Beethoven
| J. Brahms
| A. Schoenberg
| S. Rachmaninoff
| arr. Brad Ritchie
| L. van Beethoven
| J. Haydn
| W. A. Mozart
| D. Carter
| G. Gershwin
| F. Price
| A. Beach
| G. F. Handel
| J. S. Bach
| L. von Beethoven
Orchestration
| 3223, 4220, timp, strings
| 3223, 4200, timp, tri, strings
| 3 tp, 4 hn, 3 tbn, tba, 4 perc.
| 3333, 6331, timp, perc, hp, strings
| 3232, 4331, timp, perc, pf, hp, strings
| 2222, 2200, timp, soli & choir, strings
| 1202, 2330, timp, choir, continuo, str.
| 2222, 2200, timp, soli, strings
| 2222, 2221, timp, perc, strings
| 2232, 3 sax, 3331, timp, perc, pf, str.
| 3222, 4231, timp, perc, strings
| 3332, 4231, timp, tri, strings
| 0202, 0200, timp, SSATB, strings, BC.
| 2302, 1300, timp, SSATB, strings, BC.
| 2223, 4230, timp, organ, SATB, strings
for chamber ensemble
Composition
- Ocho por radio
- Strange Matter
- The Unexpected
- Octour - A Huit
- Serenade for Strings
- Bo-Kaap
Composer
| S. Revueltas
| Z. di Castri
| W. Heider
| J. Francaix
| P. Tchaikovsky
| J. H. Visser
Orchestration
| 0011, 0100, perc, (2011)
| 1110, 0000, perc, pf, (1110)
| 1010, 0000, perc, pf, (1111)
| 0011, 1000, (2111)
| String Orchestra
| 1111, 1110, perc, timp, pf, hp, strings
Notable Recent Performances
for orchestra, orchestra and chorus
Concert
- Halloween Spooktacular
- OE New Music Concert
- Zombie Prom - the musical
- Halloween Spooktacular
Works Performed
| Rachmaninoff: Isle of the Dead
| arr. Ritchie: Who ya gonna call??
| Visser: Bo-Kaap
| Rowe: Zombie Prom
| Saint-Saens: Danse Macabre
Date
| October 2019, Margaret Comstock Concert Hall
| May 2019, 21C Contemporary Art Museum
| January 2020, Clarksville Little Theatre
| October 2018, Margaret Comstock Concert Hall
