Peter Wyllie Johnston

Peter Wyllie Johnston is a composer, performer and writer. 

He studied the piano from the age of five, sang for several years with the Australian Opera and later with the Victoria State Opera. He has peformed in piano bars in America, Britain and Australia and in cabaret in New York and at the Adelaide Cabaret Festivals of 2005 and 2007. 

Peter's extensive writings on music and music theatre have been published in magazines, academic journals and newspapers including The Australian, The Sunday Age, Opera Australasia, Soundscapes, The Melburnian and The Times (UK). 

Until 1996 when Peter began to work full-time in music, he worked as a lawyer and later as a university lecturer. 
From 1997 until 2001 he lived in London and New York. In 2002, having returned to Australia, he was Guest Musical Director of the 2002 Barossa International Music Festival. 

---

Doctoral Thesis (University of Melbourne, 2008)

Who's Playing Our Song -- The Development of the Australian Musical 1900 - 2000.

Articles from The Australian

• Dream Role launched diva Morag Beaton on world stage
  
• With modesty aside, the mastery of Tozer emerges
  
• The life and death of Geoffrey Tozer
  

Productions and Projects

Moses - The Spirit of Freedom

• Developed in London, New York, and Australia
• Book, music, and lyrics written by Peter Wyllie Johnston
• Charity gala concert in planning for production for August 2018 (Details TBA)

A new Australian musical

• Adapted from a traditional source
  
• Set in Australia 2002
  

Pink

• A new musical by composer-lyricist Joanna White
  
• Collaborating on the Book
  

The Australian Musical - The First Hundred Years - 1916-2016

• A journey through the Australian musical from 1916 to the present
• Co-authored with Peter Pinne
• Set for publication in 2018

A major biography of the late virtuoso pianist, Geoffrey Tozer