John Owens has extensive experience teaching music to students in California, Arizona, Germany, Ohio, and the Navajo Nation. In his professional work, John taught concert band, marching band, jazz band, percussion, guitar, choir, and music theory at Page High School in Arizona and Saint Augustine High School in San Diego. He was a faculty member at Coconino Community College where he taught Music Appreciation, Jazz History, and American Popular Music.

As a musician, John has performed in France, Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Bosnia, and Kosovo during his time in the US Army Band. He was also a percussionist for the Disneyland Resort and Knott’s Berry Farm.

At Kent State University, where he is currently pursuing his Ph.D., he teaches Instrumental Methods, Conducting and Arranging, and String Techniques for Music Educators. In addition, he assists with music methods courses and organizing music recruiting events, such as the Kent/Blossom Music Festival. He has written 56 commissioned works for band and percussion ensembles in California, Arizona, Washington, and the Netherlands. In addition, he currently works as a music teacher supervisor for Oberlin College and has mentored eight new music teachers.

Currently, John is an adjudicator for the Mid Atlantic Percussion Society, Three Rivers Winter Ensemble Association, American Drumline Association, and the Keystone Indoor Drill Association. Some of the professional organizations he belongs to include: American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP); National Society of Music Educators (NAfME); and International Society of Music Educators (ISME). John is also an Innovative Percussion endorsed artist and has given presentations at a variety of music conferences.