John received his doctorate in 1994 from the University of Chicago, where he studied composition with John Eaton and Ralph Shapey. A teacher of piano, composition, music theory and a variety of music appreciation classes for adults, John has also studied composition with Dominick Argento and Morris Cotell.

In the fall of 2004 he celebrated ten years as a sought-after music appreciation teacher for the University of Chicago’s Graham School of General Studies. He has also taught at the Cappelli Institute of Music in Oak Park, Illinois since 1997.

John makes frequent speaking appearances throughout the western suburbs with his popular “Music of the Masters” lecture series.

John lives just outside Chicago in the quirky city of Berwyn, Illinois with his wife, Bonnie Gibbons, a website designer.

Premiers of John’s work have been performed by several groups in Chicago, Boston, the Twin Cities, New York, and elsewhere.