Matt Johnson

Band Director at James Hart Junior HS, Illini & Buckeye Fan, runner, and once in a while still a saxophonist

[Matt Johnson @MrJohnsonBand]

@IlliniStats Illinois has now started 5-1 for the 3rd time in 4 years. If I'm not mistaken...
-The last 3 5-1/better starts were in 2011, 2007, 2001
-The last back-to-back 5-1 starts were in 1989-90
-The only times this has happened in a 4 year span: 1950-53, 1924-27, few times in the 1910s

[HF High School @HFHS59]

HF is excited to send our talented musicians to the Illinois Music Education Conference (IMEC)! The Vikings will be joined by Grammy Award Winning Saxophonist (and HF Alum!) Christopher McBride.

Help send them off on January 29th at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium! #GoVikings

[James Hart Bands @JamesHartBands]

Our @HSD153Churchill Bulldog Band is looking and sounding great! Can't wait to hear these kids make their concert debut tomorrow night😁
#Thesekidsareawesome
@hfbandparents

[James Hart Bands @JamesHartBands]

Symphonic Band had some fun this afternoon with an incentive party for our kids who are up to date on assignments! Snacks, card and board games in the band room, and an open gym made for a great day 😁
#BandFamily #Hardworkpaysoff

[Matt Johnson @MrJohnsonBand]

We had a great day reconnecting with these former Panthers & @HFHS59 Vikings who are doing great things in college! Fun to see these awesome young people inspiring the next generation😁
#BandFamily

[James Hart Bands @JamesHartBands]

Kicked off 2025 w/ our annual college alumni day! We have *EIGHT* former @JamesHart153 Panthers playing in college ensembles & were honored to welcome some back yesterday to play for our students+talk about college life & their experience.
@hfbandparents @MarchingIllini @ISUCFVMB

[James Hart Bands @JamesHartBands]

Kicked off 2025 w/ our annual college alumni day! We have *EIGHT* former @JamesHart153 Panthers playing in college ensembles & were honored to welcome some back yesterday to play for our students+talk about college life & their experience.
@hfbandparents @MarchingIllini @ISUCFVMB

[James Hart Bands @JamesHartBands]

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is playing jazz for all to hear! 🎷🎺🥁🎄
Great job by our Maroon and Gold Jazz Bands this morning to get everyone in the holiday spirit!
@hfbandparents

[James Hart Bands @JamesHartBands]

A few more of our 16 different chamber ensembles this year!
@hfbandparents

[James Hart Bands @JamesHartBands]

December in the band room means holiday sweaters and swag, but it also means chamber ensembles! Each year all of our 7th/8th graders work together to prepare 1-2 songs in small groups for our recital in February. It's the ultimate group project!
#thesekidsareawesome #BandFamily

[James Hart Bands @JamesHartBands]

More picture day highlights from our awesome (and definitely never silly🥳) band students😁

[James Hart Bands @JamesHartBands]

Picture Day this week at @JamesHart153!

[James Hart Bands @JamesHartBands]

Congrats to our @JamesHart153 7th Grade Girls Basketball team on winning sectionals and advancing to state! Our Symphonic Band percussionists had a blast cheering you on at today's sendoff parade😁🥁
#GoPanthers #153Strong
@hfbandparents

[HF High School @HFHS59]

Our Jazz musicians were invited to perform for school boards, superintendents and chief school business officials at the annual statewide conference in Chicago!

[James Hart Bands @JamesHartBands]

A great concert & day for music education: congrats to the 120-strong @ILMEA1 District 1 Honor Band on an outstanding performance today, and a special congrats to our 4 amazing @JamesHart153 Symphonic Band students! You made your school & community proud today😁
@hfbandparents

[Matt Johnson @MrJohnsonBand]

Got to catch a preview of the @JamesHart153 production of Moana Jr today: lots of amazing singing, choreography, lighting, and scenery- you've gotta see this show Thursday or Friday at 7pm!
Congrats to all these awesome students and @hlolife1 on putting together a great show 👏👏

[Matt Johnson @MrJohnsonBand]

Had a blast finishing off my day working with the saxes from the @HFHS59 Viking Jazz Ensemble🎷🎷🎷
Ms. Whitlock has these hardworking kids sounding great- can't wait to hear them in Peoria in a couple months!
@hfbandparents

[James Hart Bands @JamesHartBands]

6th Grade Band enjoying a donut party and booklet to celebrate a successful first concert!🎷🎺🍩😁
#BandFamily #Successisdelicious

[James Hart Bands @JamesHartBands]

Needless to say the band students were excited 🥳

[James Hart Bands @JamesHartBands]

Catch-up post: our 6th-8th grade BCO students had a blast watching a special performance from the @HFHS59 music department this week! Lots of fun songs, and always great to see the amazing things our Panther alumni are doing in high school😁
#BandFamily #WeAreHF

[James Hart Bands @JamesHartBands]

Congrats to our awesome students on a great fall concert last night, and thanks to all our supportive family members who came out to support them! Solid performances all around by our Concert, Symphonic, and Gold Jazz Bands 👏👏👏
@hfbandparents