MM '19
Born equipped with his beard since birth, John began his musical studies at the age of 10, where, after a long consideration, he picked the trumpet. After a year his elementary school needed a euphonium player and John eagerly took up this challenge, not knowing at the time that this would take him down a path of many different brass instruments. All in all, John cycled through several brass instruments before “settling” on the trombone. He is currently in his final year of the Master of Music program at Northwestern University, where he is a student of Michael Mulcahy, Douglas Wright, Tim Higgins, Randy Hawes, and Christopher Davis.
John graduated from the Boston Conservatory in 2015 in trombone performance after switching from euphonium performance during his Junior Year. He went on to do a Graduate Performance Degree at the same institution. John studied with Norman Bolter for six years of study at the Boston Conservatory and credits Mr. Bolter for unlocking his true passion for music.
In addition to his studies with Mr. Bolter, John has had the privilege to work and study with Jay Friedman, Charlie Vernon, Gene Pokorny, Mallory Thompson, Toby Oft, Scott Hartmann, Brian Hecht, Colin Williams, Roger Bobo, Mike Roylance, George Curran, Gail Williams, Tom Siders, John Faieta, Angel Subero, Lawrence Isaacson, Ken Amis, Eli Epstein, Adam Frey, Don Lucas, as well as commercial and jazz artists such as Phil Wilson, Jim Pugh, Bob McChesney, and Michael Davis.
John has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Boston Philharmonic, Boston Civic Symphony Orchestra, Lake Forest Symphony, Esperanza Spaulding, George Clinton, The Ryles Big Band, and the Berklee Big Band. Notable conductors performed with include Mallory Thompson, Edward Gardner, Ken-David Masur, Norman Bolter, Jay Friedman, Michael Mulcahy, Ben Zander, Bruce Hangen, Frank Battisti, Charles Peltz, Jonathan McPhee, and Francisco Noya.
Considered by many to be a jack of all trades, John performs a cornucopia of styles with an array of instruments professionally. These instruments include: alto, tenor, and bass trombones, euphonium, baritone horn, alto horn, bass trumpet, trumpet, flugelhorn, tuba, and his velvety rich Bass-Baritone voice.
John is from Boston, Massachusetts, and is a diehard sports fan and is not afraid to let you know about it.