John Max McFarland

John Max McFarland is an active composer/arranger in WGI, DCI, and BOA.  He is currently the Program/Music Coordinator for the 2016 DCI Open Class Bronze medalist Legends Drum and Bugle Corps from Kalamazoo, Michigan.  From 2013 to 2015 he was the percussion composer/arranger for Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  In WGI, John has composed and arranged for many ensembles ranging from Scholastic A Class all the way up to Independent World Class.  Many notable clients include Eastside Fury (2012-2014), Notre Dame Indoor Percussion Ensemble (PIA Finalists 2012, 2013) and Ferndale Independent Percussion (2015 PIA Silver Medalists).  John also composes marching band shows for high schools and colleges all over the country.  

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 Battlecreek Symphony as a substitute percussionist. John was also a marching member of the Kiwanis Kavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps as well as the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps.

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 and Taiwan. His concert band piece "From Chaos..." was runner up in the Metropolitan Wind Symphony's 2005 North American Student Composer Competition. His chamber music piece "Thoughts and Dreams of a Dying Man" was selected as a winning composition in ERM Media's Made in the Americas recording project. His most recent piece, “5 Songs in the Age of Stupidity” for 2 percussion and mezzo-soprano, received 1st prize in the Ironworks percussion duo composition contest.  John resides in Parma Heights, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio with his wife Sydney, his son Camden, his daughter Cadence, his 2 cats (Zoe and Minkah), his 4 greyhounds (Jason, Jasper, Lola, and Walker), and Italian Greyhound (Sophia).