Staff & faculty

Daphnee Johnson began her love of music at the age of 5 when she started playing piano. At age 12, she first picked up a cello, and the rest is history. She is a graduate of the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston, where she studied with Laszlo Varga and Vagram Saradjian. She is a co-founder of the Divisi String Quartet, and continues to be one of Divisi’s core performing members. Having come to Houston by way of San Antonio, she brings her musical knowledge and experience to any new musical project Divisi can dream. As the Divisi librarian, she also has her hand in every service the company’s musicians perform. Through Divisi, and representing the City of Houston, Daphnee has traveled the world for performances, including India, Mexico, Chicago, Washington DC, Orlando, and numerous Super Bowl events.

She has studied Suzuki pedagogy extensively with Rick Mooney as well as Judy Offman & Tanya Carey. Daphnee’s teaching experience includes eighteen years teaching at the magnet school Parker Elementary, where the Suzuki method is implemented in all musical training, and where she teaches group classes throughout the week. In addition to her in-school teaching, Daphnee maintains a rather large private studio of cello students. She is currently on faculty at the American Festival of Arts Chamber Academy and Summer Program. She was on the faculty of Youth Orchestras of San Antonio for seventeen years.Daphnee’s orchestral experience includes Principal Cellist of the Laredo Philharmonic, Assistant Principal of the Corpus Christi and Victoria Symphonies, among others. She has performed on stage alongside Michael Buble, Brian McKnight, Yolanda Adams, Al Jarreau, Chloe x Halle, Linda McCackney, Tank, Major, among many others.

Her leading cause of joy is her son Sebastian.

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