Contributed
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has announced the death of a former member, cellist Norman E. Johns, after a two-year battle with cancer. Johns joined the orchestra in 1975 and was recognized as the CSO’s longest-serving African American musician, only retiring from his position as assistant principal cellist earlier this year.
The community is invited to CSO in honoring Norman E. Johns, in a Celebration of Life by bringing together family, friends, colleagues and the broader community to reflect on his remarkable legacy, share stories, and celebrate the impact he made through his music and his life.
The celebration, beginning at 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 5, at Music Hall, is free and open to the public. No reservations are required. The program will also be livestreamed on the CSO’s YouTube channel.
Please join us in this meaningful tribute to a musician who touched so many lives.
You can add to Norman’s legacy by making a gift to the Orchestra’s endowment in his honor
According to a biography, Mr. Johns was born in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and studied at the Philadelphia Musical Academy and the Institute for Advanced Musical Studies in Montreux, Switzerland.
He helped establish the Norman E. Johns chair award in 1995, offering scholarship support to musicians from underrepresented backgrounds in the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra program, and also mentored pre-professional musicians through the CSO’s diversity fellowship program in partnership with the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
When asked how the orchestra could make the world a better place, Mr. Johns once shared the following: ‘Continued progress is dependent upon continued embrace of our diversity… of performers, composers, audience, and support personnel. Our diversity in these areas gives credibility to our capacity to enlighten the community at large.’
In 2023, Mr. Johns received the Rosa F. and Samuel B. Sachs Fund Prize for his artistic accomplishments and contributions to the cultural life of the Cincinnati region.
In sharing the news of his death, the CSO included a quote from Johns upon his retirement: ‘I’ve seen the music world become more and more like family. You discover that you have “cousins” of all shapes and sizes and colors. You know, I didn’t know anything about Cincinnati when I got here… But Cincinnati welcomed me. And it became my home. So, I’ve spent the last 50 years trying to give back to it like I would my own family.’
The orchestra also paid heartfelt tribute to the cellist in its own words:
“Norm believed deeply in the power of music to transform lives, and he lived that belief every day as a performer, teacher and mentor. But what many will remember most about Norm is who he was as a person – gracious, humble, curious, kind and a gifted storyteller. To know Norm was to be captivated by his stories.
“Norm was a brilliant light in this world, one that lives on in the students he taught, the musicians he inspired and the community he helped shape. We are grateful for the time we had with Norm, and we will carry his legacy forward with care and pride.”
Robert McGrath, President & CEO, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra | Cincinnati Pops Orchestra | May Festival, wrote the the CSO Family about Mr. Johns’ passing:
“It is with deep sadness that I share the passing of our former Assistant Principal Cellist, Norman E. Johns, following a courageous two-year battle with cancer.
“To know Norm was to know a person whose heart, talent and dedication shaped the very fabric of this Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and community. He joined the Orchestra in 1975 and served for five decades in the cello section, performing in thousands of CSO and Pops concerts, international tours, and recordings, as well as community events and collaborations with arts institutions across Greater Cincinnati.
As the Orchestra’s longest-serving African American musician, Norm was a trailblazer whose example, advocacy and mentorship opened doors for generations of young musicians, McGrath wrote. In 1995, he helped to establish the Norman E. Johns Chair Award, a scholarship that continues to support young musicians from underrepresented backgrounds in the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestras program. He was also an integral part of the CCM/CSO Diversity Fellowship program, mentoring pre-professional musicians from diverse backgrounds to further their training. These are but a handful of examples of how Norm made a difference.
“Norm believed deeply in the power of music to transform lives, and he lived that belief every day as a performer, teacher and mentor,” McGrath continued. “But what many will remember most about Norm is who he was as a person – gracious, humble, curious, kind and a gifted storyteller. To know Norm was to be captivated by his stories.
“Norm was a brilliant light in this world, one that lives on in the students he taught, the musicians he inspired and the community he helped shape. We are grateful for the time we had with Norm, and we will carry his legacy forward with care and pride.”