John Jonas

John Jonas grew up on Wisconsin’s East Coast, starting trombone at age 11. Music became the central element of his life in grade school and was his passion throughout high school. John completed the Armed Forces School of Music in May of 1983 and served as a U.S. Marine musician in Okinawa, Japan and Quantico, Virginia for four years. While in the Marine Corps, Mr. Jonas performed throughout East Asia and North America, including performances at the U.S. Embassy in Australia, throughout South Korea and Japan, the Nova Scotia Tattoo, and the dedication of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Jonas holds degrees in music education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and the University of Northern Colorado. John has taught band, orchestra and vocal music in Colorado and Virginia since 1992. He has sent many students to all-county, all-district, and all-state bands. Several of his former students are now music teachers and many more continue to perform as musicians all over the country. In addition to conducting community bands in Colorado and Virginia.

Mr. Jonas has maintained an active performance schedule with a variety of performing ensembles including the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic Orchestra, the Fredericksburg Pops Orchestra, the Fredericksburg Big Band, the Colorado Wind Ensemble, The Strange Loop alternative folk rock band, and other ensembles.

Mr. Jonas is currently putting together a brass quintet and playing lead trombone in the Gora Gora Orkestar of Boulder, a Balkan style band. He has two amazingly fantastic sons, a fabulous cello-playing partner in life, and an interest in hiking, geology, bird watching, music composition, philosophy, poker, gardening and hosting discussion groups on various topics. Mr. Jonas is excited about leading the Longmont Youth Symphony Wind Ensemble Program in great music experiences.