Jennifer Johnson played principal second violin of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra and second violin of the Atlantic String Quartet from 1993-2005.

In 2004, a generous grant from the Canada Council for the Arts funded a 7-month Alexander Technique sabbatical for Jennifer which permitted her to study with many of the world’s leading Alexander Technique teachers. Some of these teachers included Pedro de Alcantara, Walter Carrington, Marjorie Barlow, John Crawford and Barbara Conable. Jennifer went on to train with Barbara Conable and in 2005 became Canada’s first Licensed Body Mapping Educator. She now presents Body Mapping workshops internationally teaching musicians to enhance their musical ability and to prevent injury through a clear understanding of how their bodies are designed to move.

She has presented at the Royal Academy of Music in London, England, for the Finnish National Opera, and at music schools across Canada, including McGill University and University of Ottawa. She was the keynote speaker at the Australian String Teachers’ Association in Brisbane, Australia in 2015 and was a regular faculty member for the New York Philharmonic Zarin Mehta Program from 2014-2018.

Jennifer was a guest of Juilliard’s Noa Kageyama on the Bulletproof Musician podcast in October 2019. Jennifer maintains an active private violin studio and continues to perform regularly. She has written three books on Body Mapping for Musicians: What Every Violinist Needs to Know about the Body, Teaching Body Mapping to Children and Musician, Heal Thyself: Free your Shoulder Region Through Body Mapping. Jennifer’s books have been translated into French, Spanish, Portuguese and Japanese.

Jennifer’s books can be purchased from Gia Publications

Endorsements for Jennifer’s 2021 book on Body Mapping Musician, Heal Thyself

“Musician, Heal Thyself! is an invaluable resource for performers and teachers at every level. The material is so clearly elucidated and its concepts immediately useful and empowering. I love this book!”
Carol Rodland, Viola and Chamber Music Faculty, The Juilliard School

“For years, I stubbornly ignored my body’s messages because I was afraid to find out I was ‘doing everything wrong.’ But Jennifer’s wealth of experience working with musicians and her compassionate approach in Musician Heal Thyself! have made playing more fun and less painful. Why did I wait so long?”
Nathan Cole, First Assistant Concertmaster, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Founder of natesviolin.com

Email Jennifer on jenniferbodymap@gmail.com