Clay Johnson
Clay Johnson currently serves Abilene ISD as the Executive Director of Fine Arts. Mr. Johnson has spent his professional career in Abilene ISD and has held numerous positions during that time. Prior to this role, Mr. Johnson was the Principal of Austin Elementary. Other campus administrator roles have included serving as assistant principal for Abilene High School and Bowie Elementary. Before moving to campus administration, Mr. Johnson was a teacher at Cooper High School for sixteen years. During that time, he was an assistant band director for two years and then served as the director of bands for fourteen years. Mr. Johnson was named teacher of the year for Cooper High School in 2013
Under Mr. Johnson’s direction, the Cooper High School Band received numerous honors and awards and has been a featured performing ensemble across the United States. Honors included ten consecutive UIL Sweepstakes Awards, 1st alternate to the UIL State Marching Contest, Area finalists in both marching and concert band, and four former students were selected consecutively to be drum major for the Goin’ Band from Raiderland at Texas Tech University. During Mr. Johnson’s career at Cooper, the band performed at Cowboys Stadium, Branson, Disney World, Liberty Island, and Pearl Harbor.
Mr. Johnson received his Master of Music degree in Euphonium Performance from the University of Michigan and his Bachelors of Music Education with distinction from the University of Oklahoma. While at the University of Oklahoma, Mr. Johnson was the drum major for the Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band. At the University of Michigan, Mr. Johnson was a member of the Michigan Symphony Band and was a graduate assistant for the Michigan Marching Band. Additionally, Mr. Johnson was a student at the Brevard Music Center Summer Institute for two seasons.
He has studied trombone and euphonium with Carl Reno, Irvin Wagner, Ted Cox, Michael Grose, and Fritz Kaenzig. Mr. Johnson also actively practices conducting and has had the privilege to work with William K. Wakefield, Gene “Coach” Thrailkill, Roland Barrett, Sarah McKoin, Jamie Hafner, Steven Davis, Michael Haithcock, Jamie Nix, and Damon Talley. Mr. Johnson is an active performer, clinician, consultant, and adjudicator in both Texas and Oklahoma. He is currently a member of the Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Fine Arts Administrators, TEPSA, and TASSP. He is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternities and is also a founding member of the Key City Brass Quintet which performs across west Texas.
Mr. Johnson and his partner Bryan have loved calling Abilene their home for many years. Together, they enjoy the outdoors, traveling, food, and their pets Bella (dog) and Leeroy (cat).
