Donald O. Johnston was born in Tracy, Minnesota on February 6, 1929. He graduated from Northwestern School of Music in Evanston, Illinois in 1951 with a bachelor of arts in Music Composition. During the Korean War, Johnston enlisted with the United States Army in 1951 and served as composer, performer, and arranger with the 45th Infantry Division Band. Following his military service, he worked as a conductor of the college-community symphony orchestra and college band at the College of Idaho in Caldwell, Idaho. He took a different position in 1955 and became director of instrumental music at Ripon College in Ripon, Wisconsin. He joined the faculty at the University of Montana-Missoula in 1960 and served as professor of music composition and composer-in-residence. He would serve in that capacity at the University until his retirement in 1993.
Johnston pursued graduate work at Northwestern University, the Indiana University School of Music at Bloomington, and the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester in New York. He received his Master of Music degreee in Music Composition from Northwestern in 1954 and his Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Rochester in 1961.
Johnston composed chamber music, choral pieces, orchestral works, and music for bands throughout his career. In 2004 he founded Ars Nova Press, Inc., a publishing house that devotes itself to promoting the work of classical composers.
Donald Johnston passed away on June 4, 2025, in Brookings, South Dakota.
This collection contains many original manuscripts for Johnston’s musical arrangements, as well as final printed versions. It also includes his sketches and notes on arrangements and some clippings and correspondence related to his work.
The items have received minimal processing and have been rehoused in archival boxes. An inventory for the collection is available at the repository.
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and the University of Montana-Missoula.
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright is held by the creator and/or his heirs until 25 years after his death.
Donald O. Johnston Music Scores, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.
The collection was in the possession of the creator until its transfer to Archives and Special Collections in August 1999.
No future additions to this collection are expected.
This collection was received as a single accession with no rearrangement or removal of any materials. Original titles, folders, and boxes were all retained.
Additional music scores by Donald O. Johnston are available in the general collection at the Mansfield Library.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.