April Johannesen is the clarinetist/bass clarinetist with Wil's Swindler's Elevenet and the Jesse Manley Band. She is also an active freelancer, performing with ensembles such as the Colorado Symphony, Opera Colorado, Colorado Ballet, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Greeley Philharmonic, Boulder Philharmonic, Arvada Center, Cheyenne Symphony, Breckenridge Music Festival, Lone Tree Arts Center, Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra and the Air Force Academy Band.
April received her Masters Degree from the Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music in 2001. There she served as assistant conductor to Dr. Paul Shelden for the Brooklyn College Wind Ensemble and as a Director of Chamber Ensembles. Her principal teachers have included Mark Nuccio, Paul Garner, David Weber, Laurie Friedman and Mindy Dragovich. April has been teaching clarinet, flute, saxophone, oboe, bassoon and piano for over 20 years. She served as 2nd clarinetist of the Fort Collins Symphony from 2003-2017. leaving the orchestra to pursue musical endeavors closer to the Denver area.
April began studying clarinet at the age of nine. At twelve, she began studying piano with Jim Pecoraro (Sr. and Jr.) and voice with Florence Hardgrove. Soon she took up the saxophone and flute, as well. While in her senior year at Seaford High School, she studied clarinet under Mindy Dragovich. Inspired by Ms. Dragovich, she pursued her music performance degree in clarinet with a full scholarship (with many thanks to the Lion’s Club Outstanding Student Scholarship, the D. Bert Hering Scholarship from the Electrician’s Union, Hofstra University’s Academic Recognition Scholarship and Music Grant) at Hofstra University.
At Hofstra, she studied clarinet under Laurie Friedman and Naomi Drucker. She also studied conducting under Dr. Peter Loel Boonshaft. In her years at Hofstra, April was concertmistress of the Hofstra University Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and Opera Orchestra. She was a Dorothy Hoag Scholar and was inducted into the Pi Kappa Lambda National Honors Society. In 1995, April won the Hofstra University Concerto Competition and in performed Weber’s Concertino for Clarinet with the orchestra in the spring of 1996. In 1995, she won the William Z. Grabel award and in 1996, the Pi Kappa Lambda Certificate of Honor. In 1998, she received her Bachelor of Science, cum laude in Music Performance.
The following fall she was offered a graduate assistantship under Dr. Paul Shelden at the Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music. While working on her Master’s Degree (studying clarinet under Laurie Friedman), April was the assistant conductor of the BC Conservatory Wind Ensemble and director of chamber ensembles. She received her Master of Music degree in the spring of 2001.
In the summer of 2000, April attended the Henry Mancini Institute in Los Angeles under a full scholarship from Merle Miller and Peter Mullin. For four weeks, she studied under Don Menza and Vince Trombetta. She was principal clarinetist of the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra.
Ms. Johannesen spent several years in New York city as an active free-lance musician playing with such groups as the School of American Ballet Orchestra, the Greenwich Village Orchestra, the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra, the New York Repertory Orchestra, the Spectrum Symphony Orchestra, the Musica Bella Orchestra of New York, and the Long Island Pops Orchestra. While in New York City, April studied extensively with Mark Nuccio, associate principal and Eb clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic. During this time she also owned and operated The Johannesen Music Studio, a private teaching studio in Long Island employing eight teachers of various instruments teaching over 120 students.
Upon completing her studies at Brooklyn College, April began auditioning for symphony orchestras throughout the United States and Canada. She won the position of 2nd clarinetist with the Fort Collins Symphony in October of 2003, two months after she and her new husband, Wil Swindler, left New York City to live in Austin, Texas. Not wishing to move right away, the happy couple remained in Austin until March of 2006. During this time, April commuted from Austin to Fort Collins on a monthly basis for her job with the symphony (her awesome silver Beetle now sports 196,000 miles!) as well as continuing her travels auditioning for other orchestras. During her brief stint in Austin, April maintained a large teaching studio, highly popular masterclass and clinic tour and successful freelance career. She also took the opportunity of living in Texas to study with Paul Garner, Associate Principal and Eb Clarinetist with the Dallas Symphony, and Michael Webster, Professor of Clarinet at the Shepherd School of Music and renowned clarinet soloist. However, the time had come to move on to a new city once again in March of 2006. Wil, April and their beloved kitties, Max and Rosie packed up their U-Haul and headed for the next chapter in their lives in Longmont, Colorado (a much shorter commute to her gig with the Fort Collins Symphony).
In the summer of 2006 however, April was offered a contract for the 2006-2007 season with the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra. On the road again! In 2007, April founded the Auroria Trio - a fabulous new ensemble playing around Colorado and beyond! This is a fresh new group - clarinet, flute and cello - specializing in wedding ceremonies, receptions, parties and special events.
In 2010, Wil and April adopted their beloved border collie/lab puppy, Grub. And in January of 2012, they welcomed the newest family member into their lives - their incredible daughter, Annika Eva Johannesen. In September 2015, this little family moved to their newest home in Thornton, Colorado. The most recent addition is a sweet little Maltese named Hera who they rescued from Dallas, Texas!
Less formally, April’s hobbies include traveling, weightlifting, racquetball, Tae Kwon Do, golf, gardening, hiking, taking care of animals and studying the Alexander Technique. Prior to meeting her wonderful husband, April enjoyed many solo journeys throughout the US, Canada and Europe. She is eager to begin some new epic adventures with her entire family!
April received her Masters Degree from the Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music in 2001. There she served as assistant conductor to Dr. Paul Shelden for the Brooklyn College Wind Ensemble and as a Director of Chamber Ensembles. Her principal teachers have included Mark Nuccio, Paul Garner, David Weber, Laurie Friedman and Mindy Dragovich. April has been teaching clarinet, flute, saxophone, oboe, bassoon and piano for over 20 years. She served as 2nd clarinetist of the Fort Collins Symphony from 2003-2017. leaving the orchestra to pursue musical endeavors closer to the Denver area.
April began studying clarinet at the age of nine. At twelve, she began studying piano with Jim Pecoraro (Sr. and Jr.) and voice with Florence Hardgrove. Soon she took up the saxophone and flute, as well. While in her senior year at Seaford High School, she studied clarinet under Mindy Dragovich. Inspired by Ms. Dragovich, she pursued her music performance degree in clarinet with a full scholarship (with many thanks to the Lion’s Club Outstanding Student Scholarship, the D. Bert Hering Scholarship from the Electrician’s Union, Hofstra University’s Academic Recognition Scholarship and Music Grant) at Hofstra University.
At Hofstra, she studied clarinet under Laurie Friedman and Naomi Drucker. She also studied conducting under Dr. Peter Loel Boonshaft. In her years at Hofstra, April was concertmistress of the Hofstra University Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and Opera Orchestra. She was a Dorothy Hoag Scholar and was inducted into the Pi Kappa Lambda National Honors Society. In 1995, April won the Hofstra University Concerto Competition and in performed Weber’s Concertino for Clarinet with the orchestra in the spring of 1996. In 1995, she won the William Z. Grabel award and in 1996, the Pi Kappa Lambda Certificate of Honor. In 1998, she received her Bachelor of Science, cum laude in Music Performance.
The following fall she was offered a graduate assistantship under Dr. Paul Shelden at the Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music. While working on her Master’s Degree (studying clarinet under Laurie Friedman), April was the assistant conductor of the BC Conservatory Wind Ensemble and director of chamber ensembles. She received her Master of Music degree in the spring of 2001.
In the summer of 2000, April attended the Henry Mancini Institute in Los Angeles under a full scholarship from Merle Miller and Peter Mullin. For four weeks, she studied under Don Menza and Vince Trombetta. She was principal clarinetist of the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra.
Ms. Johannesen spent several years in New York city as an active free-lance musician playing with such groups as the School of American Ballet Orchestra, the Greenwich Village Orchestra, the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra, the New York Repertory Orchestra, the Spectrum Symphony Orchestra, the Musica Bella Orchestra of New York, and the Long Island Pops Orchestra. While in New York City, April studied extensively with Mark Nuccio, associate principal and Eb clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic. During this time she also owned and operated The Johannesen Music Studio, a private teaching studio in Long Island employing eight teachers of various instruments teaching over 120 students.
Upon completing her studies at Brooklyn College, April began auditioning for symphony orchestras throughout the United States and Canada. She won the position of 2nd clarinetist with the Fort Collins Symphony in October of 2003, two months after she and her new husband, Wil Swindler, left New York City to live in Austin, Texas. Not wishing to move right away, the happy couple remained in Austin until March of 2006. During this time, April commuted from Austin to Fort Collins on a monthly basis for her job with the symphony (her awesome silver Beetle now sports 196,000 miles!) as well as continuing her travels auditioning for other orchestras. During her brief stint in Austin, April maintained a large teaching studio, highly popular masterclass and clinic tour and successful freelance career. She also took the opportunity of living in Texas to study with Paul Garner, Associate Principal and Eb Clarinetist with the Dallas Symphony, and Michael Webster, Professor of Clarinet at the Shepherd School of Music and renowned clarinet soloist. However, the time had come to move on to a new city once again in March of 2006. Wil, April and their beloved kitties, Max and Rosie packed up their U-Haul and headed for the next chapter in their lives in Longmont, Colorado (a much shorter commute to her gig with the Fort Collins Symphony).
In the summer of 2006 however, April was offered a contract for the 2006-2007 season with the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra. On the road again! In 2007, April founded the Auroria Trio - a fabulous new ensemble playing around Colorado and beyond! This is a fresh new group - clarinet, flute and cello - specializing in wedding ceremonies, receptions, parties and special events.
In 2010, Wil and April adopted their beloved border collie/lab puppy, Grub. And in January of 2012, they welcomed the newest family member into their lives - their incredible daughter, Annika Eva Johannesen. In September 2015, this little family moved to their newest home in Thornton, Colorado. The most recent addition is a sweet little Maltese named Hera who they rescued from Dallas, Texas!
Less formally, April’s hobbies include traveling, weightlifting, racquetball, Tae Kwon Do, golf, gardening, hiking, taking care of animals and studying the Alexander Technique. Prior to meeting her wonderful husband, April enjoyed many solo journeys throughout the US, Canada and Europe. She is eager to begin some new epic adventures with her entire family!