John started on trumpet in the 5th grade. He was pretty lousy, and switched to baritone/euphonium in the 8th grade when the band director announced he had this brand new horn and would anyone like to play it. He jumped at the opportunity. He learned trombone much later. John is a life long musician. His musical career includes performing in symphony orchestras, concert bands, Dixieland bands, German bands, wind ensembles, brass quintets, tuba/euphonium quartets, big bands, pit bands for musicals and more, often as the featured soloist, and as a member of the world famous United States Army Band (Pershing’s Own) in Washington, D.C. for 6 years in the 1970s.

John is the former Conductor and Brass Coach for a New Horizons orchestra at a music school in Washington state. John served as the Executive Director of the school for two years, and he was instrumental in establishing the New Horizons program there which includes an orchestra, chorus and bluegrass band. John has a B.S. in Mathematics from Eastern New Mexico University and an M.S. in Computer Science from Colorado State University. He spent almost 10 years in the computer industry after a 23 year career in the Army, which included 14 years as a commissioned officer, where he was a MEDEVAC pilot, flying both the Huey and Black Hawk helicopters.

John has always been a very strong advocate for having participatory music a part of everyone’s life. Both he and his wife, Linda, were actively involved in the organization and management of another New Horizons Orchestra; he as the Music Director, she as a budding flute player, and both as members of the Board of Directors. John and Linda attended their first New Horizons Music Camp at Chautauqua, New York in September 2004, where John conducted the Intermediate Band and the German Band, and Linda played in the Beginning Band. John more recently taught at the New Horizons Music Camps at Interlochen, Michigan in June 2009 and at Chautauqua, New York in October 2011. As a faculty member, he directed the German Band and the Brass Chamber Music Ensembles.

John is a sports enthusiast with baseball being his favorite (die-hard New York Yankees fan). He also enjoys motorcycling with his wife, Linda. They currently own a 2021 Indian Springfield motorcycle (his 33rd bike since age 14). He likes working in the yard, movies, traveling, walking, and anything to do with music. He owns and plays three euphoniums, three trombones, a tuba, an acoustic guitar, a ukulele, and a Yamaha Disklavier piano.

Besides playing euphonium in the Rapid City New Horizons Band, John plays bass trombone in the Black Hills Symphony Orchestra, principal trombone in the Powder River Symphony in Gillette, Wyoming, and euphonium in the Rapid City Municipal Band. He has also played trombone with the Dick Dittman Big Band, trombone with the Dixie Rebels Dixieland Band, and a number of performances as accompaniment for various local musical organizations. In 2012, John organized and started a professional brass quintet, Black Hills Brass, and he plays trombone and tuba in that group.

John became the first Webmaster for New Horizons International Music Association (NHIMA - the parent organization for all New Horizons groups worldwide) in 2004, and served in that capacity until 2015. He also developed several web sites for other New Horizons organizations, including this one, which he is the Webmaster for. Click to visit the [NHIMA Web Site].