Her parents were Harry McClure Johnson (1886–1932), a prominent Chicago attorney, and Helena Modjeska Chase (1900–1986), an artist.

She was the fifth child of Harry Johnson, who died on 29 March 1932 from a sudden attack of influenza, which developed into pneumonia,[1] in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where he was visiting his mother.

She studied with Madame Eckstein, Frederic Balazs (1st violinist of the Maverick String Quartet of Woodstock, NY; conductor of the Tucson Sym.

violinist, violist), Gideon Grau (Putney faculty), Orreo Pernel (Bennington Faculty; Primier Prix in Paris Conservatoire), Szymon Goldberg[6] (Solo violinist in Europe and America, faculty of Aspen Institute of Music, who she later sent her daughter, Michaela to study with at Yale University and Curtis Institute of Music), Claus Adam (cellist of the Juilliard String Quartet, who taught chamber music), George Finkle (cellist at the Maverick Theater in Woodstock, NY who taught cello and chamber music at Hickory Ridge School and Putney School and Bennington College), Tibor Varga, and David Oistrakh.

She was Music Director of World Tour as a violinist and composer from 1956 to 1957 through the Putney Graduate School of Teacher Education.

Through Gibraltar and Spain and Italy it was found out that she was the only one able to drive the truck at their disposal that had a 27-foot covered bed and a complicated gearing system.

She now had $500 and time on her hands she headed for Garmisch-Partenkirchen to visit a friend and the village of Absam where Jacob Stainer had lived and had built his superb violins some 300 years before.

[7] On February 21, 1957, the 26-year-old American violinist Priscilla McClure Johnson found the fairy-tale village of Tübingen, Germany,[8] with cobblestone streets, half-timbered houses, huge weeping willow branches overhanging the Neckar river, a beautifully restored medieval center and an old castle that dominates the hillside.

After she had checked into the youth hostel and tidied up the best she could she met Dietrich and went to where the concert was to take place and proceeded to hang up her coat in the green room.

When they finished he looked around and Priscilla saw for the first time the face of the young handsome 28-year-old Günther Johannes Paetsch, the man from Germany who was to become her husband.

[7] The next two years or so Priscilla did not return to United States immediately but traveled and met new people and learned new languages and when she ran out of money she would play concerts.

[9] For two and a half years between 1956 and 1959 she went on a World Study Trip, sponsored by the Putney Graduate School of Teacher Education, traveling over all of Europe, on both sides of the Iron Curtain, to Africa and the Middle East,[7] to study the music and the educational systems in 30 different countries, visiting numerous music schools and conservatories, and seeking knowledge of the compositions of contemporary composers.

[6] Priscilla insisted that if they were to be married he must at least see the country and the life style from which she grew up (she also trained Polish-bred registered Arabian horses in Colorado).

Even though he couldn't speak a word of English he set out for the United States and found an openness and freedom that he had not known and stayed.

[12] Not only were Priscilla and Gunther professional musicians, but their seven children (three daughters and four sons) all learned to play string instruments as well.

They would eventually form their own nine-piece group: The Paetsch Family Chamber Music Ensemble.

When children, who look like angels also perform like angels, who possess all the skill necessary to tackle the heroic, Herculean, Brahms Sextet – when cascading technical passages are performed with effortless execution, and are matched by a lush tone and perfect intonation that make a syncopation, excitement, breath and brilliance, then we have a true greatness in our midst.

[16] Extremely gifted young musicians such as John Fodor and his brother Eugene Fodor, outstanding in their ability and accomplishment, studied during the summers at the Paetsch Music camp at Pines Spring Ranch in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where they had private instruction and study as a string ensemble and learn music theory from Mr. and Mrs. Paetsch.

[10] The well known musician and teacher, Norwood Hinkle was the first to train her in music theory at The Putney School in Vermont.

[10] Her compositions have been performed not only in Colorado Springs, but in the Eastern United States, Europe and Russia[10] where her symphony was acclaimed when she appeared there representing the U.S. as judge of the International Stringed Instrument Competitions[17] Priscilla's compositions include: In 1978 she was awarded "Best Violin Teacher of the Year" by the American String Teachers Association (ASTA).

In fact, Priscilla Paetsch is a direct descendant of Mayflower passenger Governor William Bradford, who is her eighth great-grandfather.