Invited Soloist with Orchestra:

Johnstone’s repertoire incluyes the important concertos from the classical and romantic periods, and an interesting selection from the twentieth century.

The works that Johnstone has performed include the two principal concertos of Haydn (C Major and D Major), CPE Bach – Concerto in A, Boccherini/Grutzmacher – Concerto in Bb, Volkmann – Concerto, Schumann – Concerto, Saint-Saens – A Minor Concerto, Boellmann – Variations Symphoniques, Lalo – Concerto, Tchaikovsky – Rococo Variations and Pezzo Capriccioso, Bruch – Kol Nidrei, Popper – Concerto in E Minor, Dvorak – Concerto in B minor, Strauss – Don Quixote, Enescu – Sinfonia Concertante, Elgar – Concerto, Respighi – Adagio con Variazione, Honegger – Concerto, Shostakovich – Concerto No.1, Prokofiev – Sinfonia Concertante, Khachaturian – Rhapsody Concerto, Lloyd Webber – Variationes etc.

It should also be made known that there is the possibility of Johnstone performing the cello solo part in: Vivaldi – Double Cello Concerto, Haydn – Sinfonia Concertante (Violin, Oboe, Cello, and Bassoon), Beethoven – Triple Concerto, and the Brahms Double Concerto.

He has gained maximum experience as invited soloist with the Symphony Orchestra of Navarra (formerly the Pablo Sarasate Orchestra) in works of Haydn (C Major), Boccherini (B flat Major), Schumann, Tchaikovsky (Rococo Variations), Sarasate (Zigeunerweisen) y Shostakovich (Cello Concerto No.1). In Great Britain he has given a number of performances of the concertos of Elgar and Dvorak, and also of British composers such as Finzi - Concerto and Rubbra - Soliloquy. He might even perform his very own concerto: the ‘Pop-Classic’ Concerto for cello and string orchestra (25’).

Recitals with Piano:

The sonatas of Beethoven, the big romantic sonatas, and important works from the twentieth century. Short melodic and virtuoso pieces. He has performed with the pianists Jesús Amigo, Tatiana Kriukova, Juan José Albinyana and Francesca Croccolino in Spain; and with Paul Turner, Mark Latimer, Juan José albinyana amongst others, in Great Britain. In Spain he has given recitals in the Foundation Juan March, Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos of Salamanca and the Foundation Marcelino Botín of Santander; in Great Britain he has performed a number of times in the ‘Purcell Room’ of the London ‘Southbank’, and in important halls of provincial cities such as the ‘Holywell Room’ (Oxford), St. George’s Hall (Luton) or the ‘Hexagon’ (Reading).

The composers in his repertoire include:

Baroque and Classical: Vivaldi, Vandini, Francouer, Corrette, Tessarini, De Fesch, Beethoven (obra integral), Breval, Eccles, Couperin, Marcello, Valentini, Sammartini

Romantics: Schubert (Arpeggione), Schumann (integral), Menmdelssohn (integral), Chopin, Sullivan, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Bruch, Grieg, Dvorak, Reger, Popper, Saint-Saens, Faure, Franck, Glazounov, Paganini, Servais

Twentieth CEntury: Debussy, Honegger, Shostakovich, Martinu, Cassadó, Bloch, Bernstein, Falla, Gipps, Milhaud, Stravinsky

Concerts of Solo Violoncello (without accompaniment):

A speciality of Johnstone, having given more than thirty concerts of this type in the last few seasons. Below one can find some suggestions of original programmes, with a quality repertoire that is however generally not too well-known at the moment:

- ‘West-East Europe and North-South America’ - A kaleidoscope of unusual and interesting music.

- ‘British music’ - McCabe, Gipps, FeBland, Johnstone etc.

- ‘The Legacy of J.S.Bach in the 20th Century’ - Bloch, Johnstone, C. Rodrigo, FeBland etc.

- ‘The complete Six Suites of J.S.Bach, and Bach-influenced music of Johnstone’ (3 Concerts).

“Bravo Minsky” - A concert of virtuoso pop and jazz music for solo cello, in homage to the pioneer North-American Aaron Minsky

“Solo Violoncello in New Frontiers” - The Violoncello is an instrument which, until fairly recently, has been used almost exclusively in ‘classical’ music. It has a very beautiful voice and expression; however this programme shows a different cello - a cello in new worlds. Music influenced by pop, jazz, folk, and other influences … all without accompaniment and without amplification.

“Music of Navarra and Music of La Rioja (Spain)” - Although born in Great Britain the years Johnstone has lived in Spain have converted him, little by little, in the cellist of the Navarre and La Rioja homelands who most inspires musical creation, having premiered more than twenty works including the cello by the Navarre and Rioja composers.

The Cello in other groupings as Soloist:

Johnstone is enthusiastically open to other suggestions such as the ‘Variations’ of Andrew Lloyd Webber with rock group, or the ‘Suite’ of Claude Bolling with jazz piano trio. He also can perform the distinguished ‘Jazz Sonata’ of Mikel Gaztelurrutia, and in the formation ‘Stultifera Navis’ of Joaquín Taboada.

...soloist

    A list of some of the most varied musical Performances

  
A list of the principal Works dedicated to David Johnstone, with details of premieres.

Composers in alphabetical order:

Marcos ANDRES – Ensueño, for Violoncello solo (2004)
                Premiere – Concerts organized by the Savings Bank  Caja de Navarra

Enrique ARAGAON SANCHO – Sonata for Violoncello solo (2007)
                Premiere – Festival  ‘Música Infrequente’, Santillana del Mar (Cantabria)

Enrique ARAGAON SANCHO – La chant du Solitude, for Violoncello solo (2007)
                Premiere -  Concert Hall, Conservatoire of La Rioja (Logroño)

Iñigo CASLÍ – Fantasia, for Violoncello solo (2003)
                Premiere - Festival ‘Cultur’ (Government of Navarra)

Jonathan S. FeBLAND – Anti Zones, for Violoncello solo (1981)
                Premiere - Royal Academy of Music, London

Jonathan S. FeBLAND – Elegy, for Violoncello solo (1982)
                Premiere - Royal Academy of Music, London

Jonathan S. FeBLAND – Scherzo, for Violoncello solo (1982)
                Premiere - South Bank Centre (Purcell Room), London

Jonathan S. FeBLAND – Postlude, for Violoncello solo (1984)
                Premiere - Rudolf Steiner Hall, London

Jonathan S. FeBLAND – English Suite, for clarinet, violoncello and piano (2007) (joint dedication with  B3 Classic)
                Premiere -  Festival International ‘St. Jacques d’Albas’, Carcassonne (France)

Jonathan S. FeBLAND – Miniature Jazz Suite, for clarinet, violoncello and piano (2008) (joint dedication with  B3 Classic)
                Premiere - Casa de cultura, Alcoi (Valencia)

Jonathan S. FeBLAND – Three Spanish Melodies, for clarinet, violoncello and piano (2009) (joint dedication with  B3 Classic)

Jorge GARCIA DEL VALLE – Monologo, for Violoncello solo (1995)
                Premiere – Cycle of  ‘Twentieth Century Music’ (Government of Navarra)

Jorge GARCIA DEL VALLE – Three Miniatures (1993), for clarinet, violoncello and piano (joint dedication with  B3 Classic)
                Premiere - Festival ‘Actual’, Logroño (La Rioja)

Dr. Ruth GIPPS – Scherzo and Adagio, for Violoncello solo, Op. 68 (1987)
                Premiere - St. John’s Smith Square, London

Maria Dolores MALUMBRES – Divertimento in D, for Violoncello solo (2007)
                Premiere -  Concert Hall, Conservatoire of La Rioja (Logroño)

Maria Dolores MALUMBRES – Divertimento in C, for Violoncello solo (2008)

Miquel ORTEHA I PUJOL – Tango, for Violoncello solo
                Premiere – Concert Cycle ‘Maissonave’ (Pamplona Town Hall)

Evaristo de los REYES – Sonatina for Violoncello solo  (Luces y Sombras No.8, Op.54) (2001)
                Premiere -  Concerts organized by the Savings Bank Caja de Navarra

Carlos RODRIGO – Prelude ‘Homage to Bach’ (2007)
                Premiere - Concert Hall, Conservatoire of La Rioja (Logroño)

Joaquín TABOADA – Caprice, for Violoncello solo (2006)
                Premiere - Concert Hall, Pablo Sarasate Conservatoire, Pamplona (Navarra)

Leo VIOLA – Tanguicello, for Violoncello solo (2008)

Martín ZALBA – Sonata for Violoncello solo (1997)
                Premiere – Concert Cycle ‘Maissonave’ (Pamplona Town Hall)

Martín ZALBA – Double Cello Concerto (2005) (joint dedication with Dimitar Furnadjiev)

Martín ZALBA – Trio ‘Autumn Journeys’, for clarinet, cello and piano (1998) (joint dedication with  B3 Classic)
                Premiere – Cultural Centre of Elizondo (Navarra)

Note: to see those Works of Johnstone which are dedicated to OTHER performers please go to the section ‘Compositions’ within ‘Composition’ (home page).

  Brief Press Comments

The section of the ‘critics’ is not, for johnstone-music, something of special importance – many performers can find some agreeable lines written from some event (or even invent them!); however, nearly all the webs inclide them, so if someone might be interested we are able to produce these following fragments:

“Johnstone gave a techical show during all the concert, and served up a spectacular versión of the Kodaly Solo Sonata (Op.8). Johnstone played it from memory, with total involvement … as an instrumentalist he shows facility, capacity, and hard work … warm applause in all the works and a ferverous ovation at the end …”
Diaro de Navarra

“A brilliant cellist… an extraordainary force… displays his musicality and technical mastery”  (Stravinsky – Suite Italienne and Sarasate – Zigeunerweisen)
Maidenhead Advertiser

“With the hall full to brimming, Johnstone offered a cello concert which bordered on the perfection, such as those which we hear only very rarely in our city” (recital con piano)
La Espiga (Salamanca)

“The mid-day concert which took place in ‘The Hexagon’ on Wednesday was one of the best that I have ever been to. It was a rare privilege to hear a cello so beautifully played as it was by Mr. Johnstone.”  (virtuoso and melodic pieces)
Reading Chronicle

“Two of the outstanding performances of the evening from both an emotional and technical point of view came from David Johnstone on the cello.” (contemporary music in the  ‘Purcell Room’, London)
Edgware and Mill Hill Times (London)

“Extremely sure and with a lightness of touch and a facilitywhich were stimulating, and of an extraordainary elegance.”   (integral of works by Beethoven)
Oxford Mail

“Cello and piano sonatas by Honegger and Reger, both rarities, enticed me to the Purcell Room on Thursday. They were played with purposeful strength by David Johnstone.”
Sunday Times (London)

 “David Johnstone is a master of the cello: his sound is large in volumen and with enveloping atmosphere, and at the same time transmits all the emotions which each bar suggests.”  (Shostakovich – Concierto No.1)
Diario de Noticias (Navarra)

 “David Johnstone has demonstrated on repeated occasions his technical ability and his knowledge of the contemporary cello. Not only of the music written for these four strings, but also of the performers… David Johnstone was a virtuoso from the initial theme… he sang with fluidity, rounded sound and comfortable motion of the bowing.” (Shostakovich – Concierto No.1)
Diario de Navarra

“The Elegy… and the Scherzo… both pleased very much in Mr. Johnstone’s excellent interpretation.”  (piezas de J.S. FeBland, Purcell Room – Londres)
Times and Post Newspapers (London)

“David Johnstone brought to the latter (Anti Zones of J.S.FeBland) all the wit and confidence he had already displayed in Lutoslaswki’s Fantastical Sacher Variation.” (Recital with FeBland Ensemble)
 Times and Post Newspapers (London)