Dear Prospective Cello-minded Friends,

Dr. Trace Johnson (pronounced “TRAY-se”) is a cello teacher based on the East Side of Madison, Wisconsin. Trace’s background in music education with students of all skill levels and ages, combined with his professional experiences working as a classical and non-classical cello soloist, chamber, and orchestral musician, allows him to bring an accessible and practical approach to learning to play the cello to his cello students!

Dr. Johnson’s cello studio is an inclusive, supportive place where students can share their unique interests and abilities in an encouraging environment. The cello studio is currently comprised of youth beginners (5-9 y/o), young adults (10-18 y/o), and adult students and offers a variety of teaching options including private, one-on-one lessons, group lessons for siblings, beginner group classes, and adult chamber music coaching lessons. Trace’s wife, professional violist and violinist, Sahada Buckley, and Trace both teach out their home studios and at the WYSO building on East Washington Ave.

Dr. Johnson is currently enrolling students for the 2025-2026 year. If you are looking for a supportive, thoughtful, and communicative cello teacher that focuses on the music YOU want to play, schedule a free trial lesson today!

Dr. Johnson is a Suzuki certified Pre-Twinkle, Suzuki-Book 1 and Book 2 cello teacher and received formal Suzuki pedagogy certifications from renowned cello pedagogue and teacher Dr. Tanya Carey, author of the CELLO PLAYING IS EASY. In Madison, Dr. Johnson has been involved in several different teaching capacities:

• As a member of the Madison Symphony Orchestra’s Hunt Quartet outreach string ensemble, Trace has presented more than forty musical classes on Rhythm, Form, Melody, and Expression in more than a more than a dozen K-4 elementary schools across the greater Madison area.

• Trace has prepared students for successful auditions into the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra’s (WYSO) Youth Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Concert Orchestra, Sinfonietta Orchestra, and Opus 1 Orchestra as well as served a WYSO chamber music coach since 2021.

• Trace has helped to guide and prepare high school students through music-focused college applications, auditions, and school selection decisions, ultimately helping them to earn scholarships and achieve their specific goals for their own musical futures.

• Trace has participated as a clinician, sectional leader, arranger, audition judge, and group class leader in many local music organizations including Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras (WYSO), Madison Cello Ensemble (MCE), UW-Madison Summer Music Clinic Pop Strings Collective, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra & Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County SuperStrings Program, Music Con Brio, and East Side Strings.

• As a Collins Fellow DMA candidate at UW-Madison, Trace coached orchestral cello sectionals to ensembles at UW-Madison Symphony Orchestra, WYSO Philharmonia Orchestra, WYSO Youth Orchestra, and Memorial High School Symphony Orchestra