About
Hello! I'm John, a musician and writer based in Sahuarita, Arizona. I’m originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, but I decided to move away from the cold weather and spend my days in the sun.
I’ve been writing and playing music pretty much all of my life. In my undergraduate degree I studied Music and Mathematics, a combination I am still passionate about today.
I was a Counseling Psychologist up until my retirement in 2015. I immersed myself back into music, my true passion. For a few years I played keyboard in others’ bands. But, in 2018 I established my own band, “John and Friends” as a duo, trio, quartet, and quintet. My band has played many venues near Green Valley and Tucson Arizona over the last two years.
Who I Studied Under
Studied composition with David Diamond and Ludmilla Ulehla at The Manhattan School of Music, Paul Fetler at University of Minnesota, and Darius Milhaud at the Aspen Music Summer School. Won the student composition award at the Aspen Music Festival Summer School in 1967.
Taught composition, orchestration and counterpoint at University of Minnesota. 1973-1978
Created the talented high school musician theory workshop at the MacPhail School of Music, University of Minnesota.
Music Experience
Education
1964
1970-1971
1972
1974
1975-1981
Wayzata High School, Minnesota
several chamber pieces for talented high school students.
Nancy Hauser Dance Company
Original music for several ballets
Guthrie Theater Co.
Songs & background music for “The Tempest”
Minnesota Opera
“Faust Counter Faust” Toured many opera companies USA & Europe
University of Minnesota
Lecturer, music department and establishing high school theory experiences for talented high school music students.
1964
1967
1989
Dartmouth College
Manhattan School of Music
MM Theory Composition
Adler Graduate School
Counseling Psychology