Maggie Johns is a rising senior at the University of Maryland under Dr. Larissa Dedova. As a soloist, she has appeared as a finalist in the University of Maryland Concerto Competition in both 2018 and 2019, a semifinalist in the American International Piano Festival & Competition, semifinal honors recital winner in the 2019 Knabe International Piano Competition, featured guest artist at the MCMTA Evelyn Swarthout-Patrick Hayes Scholarship Competition concert, and more.
While a pianist dedicated to solo performance, Maggie is equally passionate about chamber music. She is co-founder of the Pressez Trio (2018), now the Pressez Quartet (since 2019), which has appeared in concert at the UMD Honors Chamber Music Concert, UMD School of Music Convocation, and more. Maggie is always looking for ways to bring music to new audiences with her colleagues; most recently, she organized and performed in a concert featuring both solo and chamber music live in DC. Because of her passion for collaboration, along with her academic excellence, work ethic, and “rare, exquisite talent”, Maggie was recently named Presser Scholar at the University of Maryland.
Maggie has also been a private teacher for about two years. As a teacher, she emphasizes teaching music first and piano-playing second; the most important thing to her is enjoying music. To help build an appreciation for every aspect of music, Maggie emphasizes skills in music theory, history, analysis, and reflection both at and away from the piano. She believes that, whether you are a beginner or an experienced performer, the best performance is one that is intentional, emotional, well-informed, and one that brings joy to both the performer and audience.