Nobody likes a know-it-all.

When five-year-old Grant Johannesen’s first music teacher recognized his talent, as she heard him noodling on a piano across the street, her generosity soon turned to annoyance when she discovered that he could emulate anything she played. He went on to study with Robert Casadesus, Egon Petri, Roger Sessions, and Nadia Boulanger.

Johannesen was born in Salt Lake City 100 years ago today.

As an adult, he toured extensively, both with the New York Philharmonic under Dmitri Mitropoulos, and as a solo pianist. He was particularly acclaimed for his elegant performances of French music, especially that of Gabriel Fauré.

From 1974 to 1985, he served as director of the Cleveland Institute of Music. He was a frequent soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra and his hometown band, the Utah Symphony.

Happy centenary, Grant Johannesen!

Johannesen performs music by “American Indianist” Arthur Farwell (“Navajo War Dance”) and Samuel Barber (“Homage to John Field”)

Johannesen plays “Nights in the Gardens of Spain” with the Cleveland Orchestra

A lovely recital of French music presented at the Bergen Festival in 1973

Fauré’s Fantaisie for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 111

In conversation with David Dubal, now host of WWFM – The Classical Network’s “The Piano Matters”