John is a December, 2012 graduate of Northwestern State University, Natchitoches,La. where he was a percussion major under the direction of Ken Green.  He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education, graduating Magna Cum Laude.

John was a member of his college marching band for four years.  He was also a member of NSULA Wind Symphony for three years under the direction of Bill Brent.

 

At the age of 7, John decided that he wanted to become a Civil War Drummer Boy.  His love of history and his passion for music was a force that led him to lessons with Peter Hubert, percussion instructor with the Colonial Musketeers.   At the age of 8, John joined the CM snare line, playing rope tension drum and remained a member until his graduation from high school in 2008.  When John was 12, he began private lessons with Nick Attanasio with whom he studied well into his college years. During his teen years, John became a member of The Civil War Troopers.  At the young age of 15, John was inducted into the International Association of Traditional Drummers.  John spent most of his years as a Jr. in individual competitions on bass and snare and won the Northeastern Championship in 2008 on rudimental snare.

 

John marched during the summer of his sophomore year with The Raiders, a drum a bugle corps from Wayne, NJ and during his junior year of college, John marched with The Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps from San Antonio, Tx.  In each corps, John was a member of the snare line.

 

John’s dream however, was to march with The Garfield Cadets.  He accomplished this during his senior year, not on snare, but playing Tuba.  John was so determined to finish out his last year marching with The Cadets that he undertook an instrument that he had no experience with.  In a very short time John learned enough of this foreign instrument to be selected to be part of The Cadets Tuba line. See the link:

 

http://yea.convio.net/sit/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=21648&news_iv_ctrl=1047

 

In the fall of 2014, John will be attending the Steinhardt School @ NYU for his Masters in Music Performance.

 

John is a member of:

 

USMC

The Honor Society of: Phi Kappa Phi

Kappa Delta Pi

Percussive Arts Society

International  Association of Traditional Drummers

U.S.A.R.D.: Life Member

The Company of Fifers and Drummers: Life Member