College of Fine Arts
College of Fine Arts
Nick Johnson, a UK alumnus, is an artist, composer, and clinician. Nick holds a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Kentucky. Nick has considerable experience working in public schools and in student-facing roles outside of the classroom.
After graduation, Nick taught high school choir and guitar for 6 years at Tates Creek High School. Under his direction, TCHS choirs performed at Carnegie Hall, Universal Studios, and The Grand Ole Opry. His a cappella group, Take Two, won 2 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards, landing them an invitation to perform at the inaugural National A Cappella Convention in Memphis, TN in 2018.
Nick is frequently commissioned to write arrangements and compositions for ensembles all over the country, including, but not limited to, Gonzaga University, University of Southern Mississippi, Briarcrest Christian School, and University of Kentucky. During his time at UK, he wrote over 75 pop a cappella arrangements for the UK a cappella groups and served as the director of the acoUstiKats from 2012-2019. Nick also competed with the acoUstiKats on NBC's "The Sing Off" in 2013; through this experience, his musical arrangements made their national debut and landed the acoUstiKats in 5th place overall.
In 2015, Johnson’s arrangement of "I Want You Back" by the Jackson 5 was chosen as the first-place winner in the "Macy's Back To School A Cappella Challenge". He also has other selections published with Walton Music, including "Hard Times," most notably performed at the American Choral Director's Association (ACDA) Southern Division convention in 2018, followed by performances at NYC’s Lincoln Center and the 2019 National ACDA convention in Kansas City, MO. Additionally, Nick's compositions have been performed at the 2016 ACDA Southern Convention, 2018 Kentucky Music Educators Association (KMEA) Conference, 2019 KMEA Conference, and 2021 ACDA National Convention.
From 2022-2024, Nick worked as a recruiter for the UK College of Engineering, fostering relationships with students residing in eastern, southern, and western Kentucky. In his current role as Director of the Creative Arts Living Learning Program, Nick helps curate experiences for UK students interested in fostering a passionate commitment to the arts.
Nick lives in Lexington, KY with his partner, Jeremy, and his dog, Jack. In his free time, Nick enjoys lifting weights, taking his dog on car rides, boxing, spending time with friends and family, and starting ridiculously unnecessary projects around his home.