OLIN JOHANNESSEN

DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL Media and SPECIAL PROJECTS,

AND ASSOCIATE For MUSIC

Olin Johannessen joined the staff of St. John’s in July 2021 with the mission directive to bring the live in-person worship experience online so that SJC could continue to offer connection through worship to those who would not be able to physically come back to church in person as COVID-19 lockdowns lifted. Within a month, St. John’s staff was able to discontinue the all-consuming pre-production of virtual church, and instead deliver a beautiful live worship experience to online worshippers via our YouTube channel. 

As Director of Digital Media, Olin coordinates pre-production elements and manages the live production of our streamed worship services each week, develops and produces new content and series for the SJC YouTube channel, and coordinates special recording sessions for musical content offered outside of our weekly worship services, and works to expand the technology ministry team to include more parishioner involvement in the weekly live stream production elements. 

In his role as Director of Special Projects, Olin leads a committee of dedicated arts enthusiasts in bringing life to St. John’s outside of regular worship and congregational events. This burgeoning program will position St. John’s as a beacon of arts and culture here in the Seacoast, and expand the reach of this parish beyond the walls of St. John’s.

Prior to joining the staff of St. John’s, Olin served as Choral Director for grades 6-12 in the Portsmouth (NH) Public Schools for ten years, a role which positioned him well as a collaborator with Jennifer McPherson Mulhern on repertoire selection and musicianship training for our wonderfully dedicated Parish Choir, leading anthems whenever possible and assisting in rehearsals. 

Olin maintains professional membership in the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and the New Hampshire Music Educators Association (NHMEA), and holds an active Experienced Educator Credential through the New Hampshire Department of Education (NHDOE). He holds a B.M. in Percussion Performance and an M.M. in Composition, both from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Olin lives in Dover, NH with his wonderful wife, Ashley Wade, and his two sons, Easa and Amos, who are enthusiastic pianists and budding baseball players.

Olin is available for music education consultation, musical performance and collaboration, and some technical assistance. His personal website is www.olinj.com. 

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