John Donovan

JackDonovanPercussion.weebly.com
(763) 218-8774 3324 Yosemite Ave. S.
donovajm@gmail.com St. Louis Park, MN 55416

Education

Doctorate of Musical Arts

University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Percussion Performance
Dates Attended: 2017 2020
Major Professor: Fernando Meza
Master of Music
Kansas State University, Percussion Performance
Graduate Teaching Assistant for the bands and the percussion studio
Dates Attended: 2015 2017
Major Professor: Dr. Kurt Gartner
Bachelor of Music
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, Percussion Performance
Dates Attended: 2010 2015
Major Professor: Dr. Jeff Crowell

Performing Experiences

Marching Arts
Minnesota Vikings Skol Line (2014)
o Bass Drum
Minnesota Brass Indoor Drumline (2014)
o Bass Drum
o Minnesota Percussion Association World Class Champions
Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps (2012 2013)
o Bass Drum
o Took 5th place in percussion at DCI World Championships (2013)
o Instructors: Lee Beddis, James Sparling, Mike Dow
Minnesota Brass Drum and Bugle Corps (2011)
o Bass Drum
o Drum Corps Associates Open Class Champions
o Instructor: Joel Matuzak
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Blugold Marching Band (2010 2012)
o Snare Drum (2010-2011)
o Bass Drum (2012)
Twin Cities Area Independent Percussion Ensemble (2009 2010)
o Bass Drum
o Winter Guard International Percussion A Class Finalist (2009-2010)
Performing Experiences (cont.)

Marching Arts (cont.)

Chops, Inc. Drum and Bugle Corps (2008 2010)
o Bass Drum
o Drum Corps Associates A Class Bronze Medalist (2008)
Concert Bands
University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble (2017-Present)
Kansas State University Wind Ensemble (2015-2017)
o Principal Percussionist
Manhattan Municipal Band (Summer 2015-2016)
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Wind Symphony (2010-2015)
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Symphony Band (2010-2012)
o Principal Percussionist
Jazz Bands
Kansas State University Latin Jazz Ensemble (2015-2017)
o Timbales, Congas, Bongo, Percussion
Los Yumas Salsa Band (2015-2017)
o Timbales, Percussion
Kansas State University Concert Jazz Ensemble (2016)
o Drum set
Kansas State University House Wreckers Jazz Combo (2016)
o Drum set
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Jazz Ensemble V (2012)
o Drum set
Orchestras
University of Minnesota Symphony Orchestra (2017-Present)
University of Minnesota Opera Orchestra (2017-Present)
Mississippi Valley Orchestral (2017)
Kansas State University Symphony Orchestra (2016)
Chippewa Valley Symphony Orchestra (2011-2014)
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Symphony Orchestra (2010-2015)
o Principal Percussionist
Chamber
University of Minnesota Graduate Percussion Ensembe Costa Rica Tour (September 2017)
o Costa Rican/North American Cultural Centers Promising Artists of the 21st Century
Series at the Eugene ONeil Theatre in San Jose, Costa Rica
Twin Cities Percussion Trio (2017-Present)
Twin Cities Brass Band (2017 Present)
Kansas State University Percussion Ensemble (2015-2017)
Kansas State University Graduate Percussion Quartet (2015-2016)
o Performed at a fundraising gala at the Beach Art Museum at Kansas State University
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Percussion Ensemble (2010-2015)
o Premiered Show Us How to Live by Baljinder Sekhon as a part of the 2014 Focus Day at
the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana
Performing Experiences (cont.)

Chamber (cont.)
Eau Claire Percussion Quartet
o Performed at the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival in Stellenbosch,
South Africa (Summer 2014)
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Percussion Ensemble
o Premiered Gradient 2.0 by Baljinder Sekhon with saxophone soloist Dr. Doug OConner
(2012)
Solo Performing
Kansas State University Honors Recital (April 2017)
o 2nd Place Graduate Division
o Wind in the Bamboo Grove Keiko Abe
Manhattan Municipal Band
o Xylophonia Green/Becker/Cahn (Summer 2017)
o Serenade for a Picket Fence Leyden (Summer 2016)
Kansas State University Wind Ensemble
o Escapades John Williams (Spring 2017)
Performed in the featured trio with saxophone soloist Dr. Anna Marie Wytco
Kansas State University Percussion Ensemble
o Concerto for Vibraphone and Percussion Ensemble Ney Rosauro (Fall 2015)
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Percussion Ensemble
o Shadow Chasers - Michael Burritt (Spring 2015)
o Concerto for Marimba and Percussion Ensemble Ney Rosauro (Spring 2012)
Minnesota Percussion Associate Solo & Ensemble Competition (2014)
o 2nd place Over 18 division
o Rotation IV - Sammut
Conducting
Concert Band Kansas State University (Fall 2016)
o Shalom! Phillip Sparke
o Jet Stream Gary D. Ziek
Manhattan Municipal Band (Summer 2016)
o Somewhere (From West Side Story) Bernstein/Arr. Kopetz
University Band Kansas State University (Spring 2016)
o Mechanism Todd Stalter
o Woodwind Ensemble: Evening Prayer Humperdinck/Arr. Villereale

Teaching Experience

Clinics
Minnesota Percussion Associations Day of Percussion (January 2018)
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Honor Band (November 2017)
Teaching Experience (cont.)

Clinics (cont.)
University of Minnesota Graduate Percussion Ensemble Costa Rica Tour (September 2017)
o National University, University of Costa Rica and the National Center for Music.
K-State Drumline Mini-Camp (May 2016, 2017)
Junction City High School Percussion Ensemble (April 2017)
Holton High School Drumline (August 2017)
Arkansas City Marching Band Camp (July 2015, 2016)
Bonner Springs Marching Festival, Bonner Springs, KS (September 2015)
Kansas State University Leadership and Auxiliary Camp (Summer 2015, 2016)

Drumline
Minnesota Brass Indoor (2018)
Kansas State University Marching Band (2015-2017)
River Falls High School Marching Band (2013-2014, 2017)
Govenaires Drum and Bugle Corps (2014-2015, 2017)
Baldwin-Woodville High School (2015, 2017)
Buhler High School Marching Band (2015-2016)
Menomonie High School Drumline (2011-2015)
Chippewa Falls High School Marching Band (2013-2014)
Elk Mound High School Marching Band (2010-2012)

Percussion Ensemble
Kansas State University Percussion Ensemble (2015-2017)
o Coached ensembles consisting of undergraduate students in the Kansas State University
Percussion Ensemble
Kansas State Summer Music Camp (June 2015, 2016, 2017)
o Select literature and rehearse the camps percussion ensemble consisting of students
between 5th grade and 12th grade
Applied Lessons
David Thomas School of Music Apple Valley, Minnesota (2017-Present)
Kansas State University Applied Percussion Lessons
o Taught marimba lessons to thirteen music majors at Kansas State University (Spring
2016)
Private Percussion Lessons
o Weekly percussion lessons with high school and college aged students

Recording Experience

Lazy Scorsese
o Tracked percussion with the band Lazy Scorsese (formerly The Lazy Kids) from
Minneapolis, MN on the track Dr. Joseph from their album Tunnel Vision (2014)
Eau Claire Percussion Ensemble
 o Recorded Gradient 2.0 for composer Baljinder Sekhon with saxophone soloist Dr. Doug
OConner (2012)
o This recording is used on Baljinder Sekhons website as a reference recording

Adjudicating Experience

Kansas State Universitys Central States Marching Festival (October 2015, 2016)
o Judged percussion for approximately 40 bands from the Midwest who performed at Bill
Snyder Family Stadium
Bonner Springs Marching Festival, Bonner Springs, KS (September 2015)
o Judged percussion for all of the bands who performed at the festival

Composing/Arranging

Kansas State University Marching Band Drumline

o Composed the music for the drumline for the Kansas State University Marching Band
(2015-2016)
Rose Hill High School Marching Band
o Front Ensemble Arranger (2016)
Chippewa Falls High School Marching Band Drumline
o Composed music for the battery and front ensemble (2014)
Menomonie High School Indoor Drumline
o Composed music for the battery and the front ensemble (2011-2015)

Event Planning

K-State Drumline Mini-Camp (May 2016, 2017)

o Organized details for this event including scheduling, recruiting, promotion, organizing
volunteers, artist relations, communicating with companies, and other logistical needs
Concert Band Clinic Percussion Manager (January 2017)
o Handled all of the percussion needs including part assignments, instrument inventory,
contacting local schools to borrow their instruments, and other logistical tasks
Manhattan Municipal Band Manager (Summer 2016)
o Set up and tore down for all rehearsals and concerts, organized music folders, oversaw
all of the logistical needs for the percussion section including maintenance, storage, and
handling of all instruments
Concert Band Clinic Percussion Manager (January 2016)
o Handled all of the percussion needs including part assignments, instrument inventory,
contacting local schools to borrow their instruments, and other logistical tasks
References

Dr. Jeff Crowell

o Professor of Percussion, University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
o Email: croweljw@uwec.edu
o Phone: (715) 497-9730
Dr. Kurt Gartner
o Professor of Percusion, Kansas State University
o Email: kgartner@ksu.edu
o Phone: (785) 532-5740
Dr. Frank Tracz
o Director of Bands, Kansas State University
o Email: ftracz@ksu.edu
o Phone: (785) 532-3818
Dr. John Stewart
o Director of Bands, University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
o Email: stewajo@uwec.edu
o Phone: (715) 836-4417
Dr. Alan Rieck
o Assistant Vice President and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education, Penn
State University
o Email: ajr83@psu.edu
o Phone: (814) 863-1864