John Stapleton recently graduated with his M.M. in Percussion Performance at Rutgers University. Hebegan playing percussion at the age of 15 under the direction of Diana Melgarejo-Sgro at New York Youth Musicians in Brooklyn, NY. A graduate of the Boston Conservatory, John has performed in a variety of settings and ensembles including the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Sheep Island Ensemble, MIT Symphony Orchestra, Harvard – Radcliffe Orchestra, Times Two Series, and the Rite of Summer Music Festival. He can also be heard on the soundtrack to the 2016 Taiwanese black comedy-fantasy-mystery-drama film The Tenant Downstairs.

John was a timpanist and percussionist of the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra under Benjamin Zander and has toured several times to Europe and Carnegie Hall with the orchestra since its founding in 2012. Touring with this group has allowed him to perform in some of the world’s most renowned concert halls including the Berliner Philharmonie, KKL Luzern, Smetana Hall, Rudolfinum, De Doelen, the Royal Concertgebouw, and more.

Alongside working as an administrator for Sō Percussion, John is currently the Senior Administrator for Schmidt Artists International, Inc., helping represent some of the most highly respected classical musicians of our time.