Lorenzo Johnson, Jr., tenor, is a voice instructor, pedagogue, performer and conductor on the Central Coast. He began singing in choir in high school, then competed in all-state and solo and ensemble competitions in Dallas, Texas. He completed his Master of Music in vocal performance at Florida State University in fall 2021 and earned a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from Sam Houston State University in spring 2019. He was awarded a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara in June 2026.

Johnson serves on the voice faculty at Cal Poly as a lecturer, teaching private voice lessons and classes covering vocal performance techniques, diction for singers, art song and music appreciation. While attending UC Santa Barbara, he served as a teaching assistant/associate (2022-26), and facilitated classes in music appreciation, world music, beginning voice, music psychology and choir.

Johnson holds specializations in vocal performance and pedagogy, German lieder, Mozart opera and the pedagogy and performance of African American art songs and spirituals. His DMA dissertation, titled “A Spiritual Journey: Bridging Blackness and Whiteness through Song,” offers a pedagogical guide to singing spirituals through literary and harmonic analyses of spiritual arrangements from hymnals, by Black composers and by a non-Black composer. The central thesis of the dissertation is that education serves as the primary bridge to connect Blackness and whiteness within the context of Western Classical music. By equipping performers with this historical and stylistic knowledge, the document seeks to overcome the fear and hesitancy associated with performing Black repertoire, thereby fostering a deeper emotional connection to the music and ensuring its continued performance.

During his performance career, Johnson has performed in young artist programs in Alaska, Bulgaria, Dubai and Italy. In July 2025, he was featured with Varna International Music Academy, touring Varna, Bulgaria, and the Veneto region of Italy. He performed the role of Rinuccio in “Gianni Schicchi” by Giacomo Puccini and various solo features in “A Grand Night for Singing,” a revue of Rodgers and Hammerstein, and in Italian song recitals. He also performed chorus roles in “Suor Angelica” by Puccini and “Petite messe solennelle” by Rossini. Johnson has also performed in Japan as a part of an exchange program with Kobe College and Sam Houston State University.

Johnson is regularly a featured chorister with Opera Santa Barbara, having performed in seven opera productions. He has also performed in a number of opera productions with UCSB Opera, Florida State Opera, Florida State Opera Outreach, Sam Houston State University Opera Theater, Raven Summer Opera at SHSU, Accademia Vocale Lorenzo Malfatti, Fairbanks Summer Music Festival, and Varna International Music Academy. In May 2023, he performed the role of Signor Edouardo Tremolini in UCSB's opera production, “Burning to Sing!” His former roles include The Witch from Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel,” James Gadshill from Heinrich Marschner’s “Der Vampyr,” The Defendant from Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Trial by Jury,” Sailor from Henry Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas,” the Realtor from Michael Ching’s “Speed Dating Tonight!,” as well a great number of partial and chorus roles.

Johnson has made a name for himself on the Central Coast as a liturgical musician. He is a regular freelance soloist, section leader, and cantor at various churches, such as Trinity Episcopal Church and Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, both in Santa Barbara, All Saints by the Sea Episcopal Church in Montecito, and First Presbyterian Church in San Luis Obispo.

He has been a member of various choral ensembles throughout his singing career. In November 2025, he joined the Santa Barbara Symphony as a tenor section leader for its performance of Mozart’s “Requiem.” He served as tenor section leader in All Saints by the Sea Episcopal Church, 2022-24. He was also a member of the UCSB Gospel Choir, under the direction of Pastor Victor Bell. He served as the tenor section leader of Santa Barbara Choral Society during its 75th anniversary celebration (2022-23). During the 2021-22 season, he joined Festival Singers of Florida under the direction of Kevin Fenton and toured around Florida performing for communities following the COVID-19 pandemic.