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John Max McFarland (b.1982) is a sought after and active composer residing in Northeast Ohio. His music has been described as “exciting” and “well grounded in 21st century rhythmic devices”. Rooted in an instinctive sense of groove and rhythmic vitality, His compositional voice explores the intersection of accessibility and sonic experimentation. His music embraces the evolving textures and techniques of 21st-century composition, weaving familiar rhythmic foundations with inventive sonorities, and contemporary soundscapes to create a musical language that is both immediately engaging and richly nuanced.
In addition to his work as a composer, John is also the orchestrator for ‘Infamous’; a brand new, groundbreaking musical by Playwright David Owen Michaels, which tells the story of the Abraham Lincoln assassination through the eyes of John Wilkes Booth.
John received his degrees in Composition (B.M.) and Percussion Performance (B.M., M.M.) from Western Michigan University. He studied percussion under Judy Moonert. John has performed as the principal percussionist and Principal Timpanist for the University Concert and Symphonic Bands, as well as the University Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed with the Kalamazoo Symphony and Battle Creek Symphony as a substitute percussionist.
John studied composition under Curtis Curtis-Smith, Dr. Richard Adams, and Dr. Robert Ricci. His compositions and arrangements have received international recognition with performances all over the United States as well as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, and Indonesia. John resides in Medina, Ohio with his wife Sydney, his son Camden, his daughter Cadence, and his 2 dogs (Tippy and Ozark)
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