“Some of my family is from [New York], so I’ve kind of had these two worlds growing up between Mount Airy and New York City. Whenever I would go up to New York, I’d be listening to something…and that music would take on a new vibe [by] just being in that environment, which I thought was really cool.”
The Long Island native attended Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park on music and academic scholarships. There, he toured Europe and Asia with the school’s orchestra and performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City. He also worked with the Washington National Opera’s Domingo-Cafrizt Young Artist Program at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
After earning two bachelor’s degrees in music composition and communications, John had hopes of going into marketing or film scoring.
Instead, he became an acquisition analyst for the U.S. Army and studies finance and procurement through the Defense Acquisition University. Outside of his day job, John is the co-production manager and executive producer for the Frederick Jazz Festival.
He also performs as a pit musician for local theater companies like the Maryland Ensemble Theater, The Fredericktowne Players, and The Landless Theatre Company in D.C.
We sat down with the FSO percussionist to talk about his film scoring heroes, his intrumental abilities, and more:
Who is your dream duet?
“I don’t know that I really have just one person that I’d like to play with. I always thought it’d be really fun to study under Hans Zimmer or John Williams or Danny Elfman. I think that would be my dream duet, partnership — working with them and…learning from them.”
What inspires you most?
“Indigenous people’s music…all over the world. I think it’s really cool when to hear a really good musician who’s trained in their culture’s instrument, like a really good tabla player from India who doesn’t speak any English, but he’s been playing the tabla his entire life.
I think that’s really cool. It’s a universal language. It’s part of their culture and who they are, and I think that’s kind of a neat thing.”
What was your first instrument?
“Piano [at age 6], and then it was the saxophone [at age 11] and then I dabbled in everything else until college,” including guitar, bass, drums, brass instruments, and “whatever I could get my hands on.”
When and where was your first concert?
“I don’t remember where it was, but I remember it was in a school cafetorium. I was playing in this chorus of other keyboard players who were in elementary school. I remember lugging around my Yahama keyboard, which was bigger than I was, up these stairs and setting it on a table.
I can’t remember how many people were there, maybe seven or eight other little keyboard players. I remember there being moms and dads lined up in the bleachers with the cameras.
Interestingly enough, during that concert, that’s when I first heard a saxophone because some other kid who was playing in the band section…stood up and played a solo. I was like, ‘That’s the coolest instrument.’ And that’s when I got interested in playing the saxophone.”
How has music changed your life?
“It’s kept me out of trouble. It’s helped me make some friends along the way…who have shared interests.”
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