JOHN SHAW is the principal percussionist with The Florida Orchestra, which he joined in 1992.  He joined the faculty of the Eastern Music Festival in 2008, and was appointed principal percussion in 2012.  Shaw earned a B.M. from Florida State University, where he studied with Gary Werdesheim, and a M.M. from Temple University as a student of noted Philadelphia Orchestra percussionist Alan Abel.

Mr. Shaw has been featured as a soloist with The Florida Orchestra many times, performing Joseph Schwantner’s Concerto for Percussion, Bela Bartók’s Concerto for Two Pianos and Percussion, James MacMillan’s Veni, Veni, Emmanuel, and Tan Dun’s Water Concerto.  His group, the Tampa Bay Steel Orchestra, was featured with The Florida Orchestra in March 2005 and October 2009.

Mr. Shaw has overseen the percussion studio at St. Petersburg College since 1996, directing the Percussion Ensemble, Steel Drum Band and teaching applied lessons.

Additionally, Mr. Shaw is the principal percussionist with Opera Tampa and St. Petersburg Opera.  He has performed with such artists as Idina Menzel, Andrea Bocelli, Joe Piscopo, Perry Como, Rich Little, Roger Williams, Marvin Hamlisch, and Frank Sinatra, Jr., as well as Broadway touring productions of White Christmas and Anything Goes.

Shaw is vice-president of the Florida chapter of the Percussive Arts Society, and presented masterclasses at the society’s 2010 and 2013 International Convention.  He is an artist for Zildjian, Pearl/Adams and Freer Percussion.  He lives in St. Petersburg with his wife, Florida Orchestra and Eastern Music Festival principal harpist Anna Kate Mackle.