Teaching

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Carter is currently accepting applications for students both online and in-person at his studio in Hamden, Connecticut. If you are interested, for more information please visit the contact page.

Carter has been teaching piano since the age of 13, when he first began teaching a few young students from his school. Ever since that time, he has accumulated a singularly impressive pedagogical resume that belies his age. As a teenager, Carter progressed through the Royal Conservatory‘s piano pedagogy certificate program, culminating in an ARCT with distinction and the highest marks in Canada in the year 2014, all at the age of 18 — the youngest age permitted to complete the degree. He has been invited to give masterclasses in provinces from British Columbia to Newfoundland, and has adjudicated in several festivals including the Ontario Provincial Festival (open category), the Toronto Kiwanis Festival, and the Kamloops Festival of the Performing Arts. He has held faculty positions at the Geneva School of Manhattan and Wilton Music Studio, and has held teaching fellowships at the Yale School of Music (secondary piano) and the Juilliard School (secondary piano and sightreading).

The goals of Carter’s studio are to provide a well-rounded program of instruction on the piano and to nurture the student’s understanding and enjoyment of music. This includes a balance of repertoire as well as supplementary activities such as theory, sight reading, ear training, and technical exercises. All students will be respected as individuals and will be progressed according to their ability. While his overall approach emphasizes the traditional classical repertoire, he also explores other types of repertoire according students’ individual tastes. The end goal of lessons is for each student to be able to play the kind of music that they want to play with as much proficiency and ease as they are able.

“Carter has been the most patient, caring and thoughtful teacher for my two boys. One of my sons is autistic and can be difficult to teach in a traditional sense, but Carter rose up to the challenge and has come up with creative ways to successfully explore his talents. Not many teachers can handle this assignment, but Carter is patient and kind and both of my boys just adore him.”

— Maria Z., parent, Connecticut

“Carter is a thoughtful and extraordinary musician. He provides insights that are clear and practical while being welcoming. My time in his class at Juilliard was productive and very helpful.”

— Theo R., student, New York

“Mr. Carter Johnson is an extremely rare teacher as he dwells at the intersection of excellence and joy. His great passion for music and his enthusiasm naturally spills over into the lessons as he uses all of his concentration to focus on the student. Mr. Johnson listens carefully and is able to intuit what the student is attempting to do. When correction is necessary, he speaks on the student’s level to explain with gentleness and humor. Mr. Johnson introduced my six year old daughter to piano and she still loves it. I give him highest marks.”

— Julie A., parent, New York

“Carter is a personable, warm, and thoughtful teacher. He is also very knowledgeable about teaching non-pianists the fundamentals of piano-playing, skills which were useful to me in many ways in school and beyond!”

— Noémie C., student, New York