Meet Zoe Johnson: ‘Coming here to college has helped me build a bigger platform for playing violin’

Zoe Johnson’s love for music has shaped both her life and her time at Austin Peay. “I grew up in a musical family. My mom was a piano teacher, my dad was in a band in college and my brother is a Christian rapper,” she said. “I came to love the violin in the sixth grade.” Last December, Johnson’s love for music helped bring hope to a world suffering from a growing pandemic. At her hometown Kroger in Memphis, she played Christmas music between her shifts to spread holiday cheer. Her playing became popular, and Fox 13 picked up the story. “People were very generous with their donations and encouraging words,” she said. “My whole thing was just to spread Christmas cheer, and I really hope people got that.” Johnson loves playing her violin for others, and she even started her own gig service this past fall. “Coming here to college has definitely helped me build a bigger platform for playing the violin,” she said. She has played in a couple of weddings and a funeral. Not only does Johnson play in-person gigs, but she also uses her social media channels to her advantage. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, live performances have been limited. Many of her fans know her through her social media accounts, “@avidviolin.” “I kind of just came up with it, and I’ve actually had it since my senior year of high school,” she said. “I wanted something very original for me, and I just stuck by it and now I’m glad I did.” ‘Why not keep doing it every week’ Johnson was not big on social media before. “It was kind of dormant for me,” she said. “One day my brother brought it to my attention that Kent Jones, a gospel artist I love, had a challenge on Instagram where you did a cover of your favorite song and if he likes it, he’ll repost it.” Kent Jones reposted Johnson’s cover, which gave her inspiration to further her musical career. “I thought, ‘Hey, if I could get this sort of attention, why not keep doing it every week,’” she said. Johnson has had various artists repost her work and given her encouraging words. Not only does Johnson host IGTV or Facebook Live videos, but she also posts videos of her playing with a green screen. “I definitely think the green screen works because it gives people something to focus on and also sort of imagine it in a world,” she said. “I definitely want people to enjoy the music more than anything. I want them to just be encouraged and enjoy the music as it uplifts them.” ‘Push for bigger and better things’ Johnson had her eyes set on Austin Peay when applying to colleges. “Austin Peay has this really awesome festival they do for high schoolers, and I went all four years, so it was a very obvious choice,” she said. “Everyone is kind and encouraging to each other, and it’s kind of like a working together experience when it comes to all the instrumentalists and vocalists.” “Austin Peay has helped push me to be better and push for bigger and better things. Austin Peay has a great music department for that,” she said. “I plan on being a teacher for violin one of these days. I’m also trying to make a job out of it definitely.” To learn more For more about Austin Peay’s Department of Music, visit www.apsu.edu/music/.

Zoe Johnson with her violin in front of the Morgan University Center on campus.

(Posted Feb. 26, 2021)

Zoe Johnson’s love for music has shaped both her life and her time at Austin Peay.

“I grew up in a musical family. My mom was a piano teacher, my dad was in a band in college and my brother is a Christian rapper,” she said. “I came to love the violin in the sixth grade.”

Last December, Johnson’s love for music helped bring hope to a world suffering from a growing pandemic. At her hometown Kroger in Memphis, she played Christmas music between her shifts to spread holiday cheer. Her playing became popular, and Fox 13 picked up the story.

“People were very generous with their donations and encouraging words,” she said. “My whole thing was just to spread Christmas cheer, and I really hope people got that.”

Johnson loves playing her violin for others, and she even started her own gig service this past fall.

“Coming here to college has definitely helped me build a bigger platform for playing the violin,” she said. She has played in a couple of weddings and a funeral.

Not only does Johnson play in-person gigs, but she also uses her social media channels to her advantage. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, live performances have been limited. Many of her fans know her through her social media accounts, “@avidviolin.”

“I kind of just came up with it, and I’ve actually had it since my senior year of high school,” she said. “I wanted something very original for me, and I just stuck by it and now I’m glad I did.”

‘Why not keep doing it every week’

Johnson plays her violin on campus.

Johnson was not big on social media before.

“It was kind of dormant for me,” she said. “One day my brother brought it to my attention that Kent Jones, a gospel artist I love, had a challenge on Instagram where you did a cover of your favorite song and if he likes it, he’ll repost it.”

Kent Jones reposted Johnson’s cover, which gave her inspiration to further her musical career.

“I thought, ‘Hey, if I could get this sort of attention, why not keep doing it every week,’” she said.

Johnson has had various artists repost her work and given her encouraging words.

Not only does Johnson host IGTV or Facebook Live videos, but she also posts videos of her playing with a green screen.

“I definitely think the green screen works because it gives people something to focus on and also sort of imagine it in a world,” she said. “I definitely want people to enjoy the music more than anything. I want them to just be encouraged and enjoy the music as it uplifts them.”

‘Push for bigger and better things’

Johnson had her eyes set on Austin Peay when applying to colleges.

“Austin Peay has this really awesome festival they do for high schoolers, and I went all four years, so it was a very obvious choice,” she said. “Everyone is kind and encouraging to each other, and it’s kind of like a working together experience when it comes to all the instrumentalists and vocalists.”

“Austin Peay has helped push me to be better and push for bigger and better things. Austin Peay has a great music department for that,” she said. “I plan on being a teacher for violin one of these days. I’m also trying to make a job out of it definitely.”

To learn more

For more about Austin Peay’s Department of Music, visit www.apsu.edu/music/.

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