Accountant works with numbers or plays them

Euphonium player Stephen Johnson is the treasurer of the Lone Star Symphonic Band.

His interest in band began in middle school, where he tried out several instruments -- including the trumpet -- before selecting the euphonium as his instrument of choice.

Johnson stayed heavily involved in band while attending James E. Taylor High School and Texas Tech University, where he pursued both bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting, and minored in music literature. While studying at Texas Tech, Johnson was a member of several student band ensembles, including the university concert band and the "Court Jesters" basketball band.

In 1999, Johnson decided to lend his musical talents to the Lone Star Symphonic Band. He joined the band's board of directors in 2000 and currently serves as band treasurer. The Lone Star Symphonic Band was recently selected to receive the John Philip Sousa Foundation's Sudler Silver Scroll award, which recognizes and honors community bands that have contributed to the cultural development of their communities.

"We're the only band in the nation to receive the award this year, so it's a very high honor," Johnson said. "It's an award from the John Phillips Sousa Foundation to an outstanding community band."

A representative from the John Phillips Sousa Foundation's Sudler Silver Scroll selection committee will present the award to the band at its upcoming "Passport Please" concert, which will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 3, at Crosspoint Community Church, located at 700 Westgreen Blvd. Tickets cost $5.50 per person if purchased in advance or $10 per person if purchased at the door on the day of the event.

"We're featuring music from all around the world -- different composers, different cultures." Johnson said.

When he's not busy working as an accountant for the Katy Independent School District or playing with the Lone Star Symphonic Band, Johnson serves as the director of Memorial Lutheran Church's handbell choir, the "Joyful Ringers."

For more information on Stephen Johnson or the Lone Star Symphonic Band, or to purchase tickets to the upcoming concert, call 281-769-5129, email director@lssband.org or visit www.lssband.org. You can also connect with the Lone Star Symphonic Band on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

ABOUT Stephen Johnson
AGE: 39
OCCUPATION: Johnson works as an accountant for Katy ISD
COMMUNITY CONNECTION: Katy resident
FAST FACT: Johnson also serves as chairman of the Lone Star Symphonic Band's finance and planning committees

Megan Mattingly-Arthur is a freelance writer. She can be reached at neighborhoods@chron.com.