Juan Mendoza

Juan (Johnny) Mendoza currently percussion and percussion-related courses. He has performed with orchestras and chamber groups throughout the country including the Nashville Symphony, Columbus Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Austin Symphony Orchestra, Abilene Philharmonic, Mid-Texas Symphony, Newark-Granville Symphony, and Laredo Philharmonic orchestra.

Johnny has been invited to present masterclasses and clinics at several universities and high schools on topics related to commissioning new music, implementing musicianship, mallet keyboard transcriptions, kinesthetic learning methods, multi-disciplined collaborations, effective practice techniques, and community engagement through music. He has received state grants for his research on extended vibraphone techniques in the contemporary percussion repertoire and his research on the effects of caffeine and sleep on muscle memory consolidation for percussionists. He frequently tours the country performing with the Sympatico Percussion Group.

Johnny is a founding member of the new music chamber ensemble CODE and MaD Arts Group (Music and Dance), and he currently serves on the Percussive Arts Society Composition Committee. His teachers include Susan Powell, Joseph Krygier, Christopher Norton, Rich Graber, Todd London, Chester Thompson, and Sherry Rubins. He received his doctorate and master’s degrees from the Ohio State University and Belmont University, and his bachelor’s degree in percussion performance from the University of Texas-San Antonio.