In asking what John wanted to play, his fourth grade orchestra teacher said, “We don’t have any violins left. Would you like to learn the viola?”
“OK,” John replied. “But what’s a viola?”
Thus began John’s long association with the violin family’s least recognized instrument. (A viola looks like a violin, but it’s slightly larger and tuned a fifth lower. Congregations usually assume John plays violin.) After performing in the South Bend Youth Symphony, John played in the music ministry and string quartet at Little Flower Catholic Church in South Bend, Indiana for six years. John earned a BA in Communication at Purdue and then, in 1990, began his long participation in the music ministry at St. Tom’s. John plays guitar and viola in the Sunday 9:00a choir, for which he serves as co-leader. As well, John performed with the Aquinas String Quartet.
A local radio broadcaster for 10 years, John was a deejay, announcer, program host, and producer during live and pre-recorded music, sports, news, and other programming. He also engineered and hosted live sports broadcasts from facilities in five states.
John performed on Live in the Light, St. Tom’s first CD. He produced, engineered, and performed on St. Tom’s second CD, Lift Up The Child. John recorded and produced Christ In Me Arise, St. Tom’s third CD, at the newly-christened RiteSong Studios.
In addition to playing viola and guitar in nearly every wedding for which RiteSong is invited to perform, John is RiteSong’s manager and studio engineer.
John is also a sound designer / sound engineer at Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette.