Carmen Johnson-Pájaro

Violinist Carmen Lavada Johnson-Pájaro, native of Birmingham, Alabama, is a community-based artist living in New York City. Carmen began her musical studies with jam sessions in the living room and eventually found her way to the world of historical performance. She’s had the opportunity to work with renowned early music figures such as Masaaki Suzuki, William Christie, Reggie Mobley, Rachel Podger, Richard Egarr, Lionel Meunier, among many others. Recent highlights include performances with Les Arts Florissants, Valley of the Moon Music Festival, Early Music Access Project, and a residency at Mount Sinai Hospital with Open Source Baroque. She is an inaugural recipient of the Handel & Haydn Stone Fellowship. Beyond performing, Carmen’s commitment to community engagement has led to years of nonprofit work in schools, shelters, hospitals, and detention centers across the world. She holds degrees from Juilliard, New England Conservatory, and the Eastman School of Music.