In 2005, Jeri made history as the first Black woman to win an international conducting prize when she was awarded the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship. Since then she has continued to break barriers in Europe and the US as the first woman and/or African-American woman on the podium for many orchestras and opera companies in the US and Europe. Past conducting engagements have included the Philadelphia Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony (UK), the Weimar Staatskapelle (Germany), Dallas Symphony Orchestra, New Orleans Opera, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, among others.
A versatile artist who is comfortable with a variety of genres and styles, Jeri has developed a reputation for offering masterful and compelling performances of contemporary repertoire and has led numerous world premieres. Her 2022 engagements include world premieres for the National Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Filarmónica de la UNAM (Mexico), Chicago Opera Theater, Oregon Bach Festival, and Santa Fe Opera.
In addition to her guest conducting, Jeri is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra – a model for the 21st-century American orchestra. Established in 2008, Black Pearl combines artistic excellence, cultural diversity and meaningful community engagement and has been recognized nationally and internationally as an award-winning leading innovator in social justice and racial equity. In January 2021, Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra had the honor of being the only orchestra in North America invited to participate in a virtual collaborative concert as part of the World Economic Forum at Davos. This inspiring event called See Me! A Global Concert involved filmmakers, visual artists, choirs, orchestras and musicians from around the world.
Based upon her work with Black Pearl, Ms. Johnson established DEI Arts Consulting in 2015 as a vehicle to share the insights and results of Black Pearl’s programs to offer data-driven strategic and creative solutions for cultural institutions seeking to create a culture of belonging.