He is a clarinetist and conductor born in Laramie, Wyoming who began to play the clarinet when he was at elementary school and in his high school band. His further studies were done at Michigan State University, the University of Wyoming and Yale.
After leaving Yale he worked as a music librarian, managed the Yale Band and played clarinet with various orchestras.
In 1981 he became a band director at the Grand Rapids Baptist College which is now Cornerstone University. After leaving Cornerstone he held the position of Associate Conductor at the Grand Rapids Symphony and in 1988 he became the conductor for the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony.
He has also conducted the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in their recordings of work by the composer Margaret Buechner.
He has taught Woodwind Methods for instrumental music majors at Calvin in 1999, as well as conducting the orchestra and giving private clarinet lessons.
Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra
Warsaw Concerto (Richard Addinsell)
Centaur CRC 2433 (CD: Piano Pops)
Conductor – John Varineau
Piano – Rich Ridenour
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