ABOUT
Since 2001 John Richardson has dedicated himself to music performance and music education in the Pinellas County and broader Tampa Bay area. He currently teaches at and is a proud advocate of Saint Paul’s School Clearwater, Players School of Music, and The Ignite School of Music. His teaching experience includes 19 years of private piano and keyboard instruction, music theory, composition, jazz/blues and contemporary improvisation techniques. John has extensive experience in studio recording applications, midi programming and live performance. He has taught Introduction to Protools and Music & Computers courses as part of the Saint Petersburg College adjunct faculty and plays piano with the Saint Petersburg College affiliated Helios Jazz Orchestra. John plays piano/organ/keyboards with the FUMC of St. Petersburg “Ignite” worship band as well as local Tampa Bay area bands Infinite Groove Orchestra, Infinite Groove Duo, Rocksteady@8 and has performed with the best musicians in Florida and beyond. John Richardson's academic achievements include an Associates in Fine Arts from Saint Petersburg College, Bachelors in Music and a Masters in Jazz Piano Performance from the University of South Florida.
MUSIC Bio
John Wesley Richardson, pianist and music teacher. Born in Elizabeth Town Kentucky, John grew up in the Fairfax County and Washington DC metropolitan area until age 12. At the age of 5 he learned how to play his first piano songs from his father and began his first piano lessons at the age of 7. He moved to Florida in 1991, first residing in Saint Petersburg and then in Clearwater. Graduated Countryside High School in 1996-1997. Participated in the Countryside High School Jazz Big Band directed by Sam Hayward. During his senior year of high school beginning a life long love of jazz music and improvisation. At age 18 John began playing publicly with the Countryside High Jazz Ensemble and soon after began playing in local "garage" bands with his high school friends.
He then attended Saint Petersburg College from 1998 to 2002 pursuing a Fine Arts degree with an emphasis on graphics design. During this time he participated in the Saint Petersburg College Jazz Ensemble from 2000 to 2002 and studied piano under two instructors, Marvin Tiehara and Jeff Donovick. It was his lessons with Jeff Donovick which provided him with his first teaching job opportunities. In 2001 John began teaching private piano lessons in Pinellas County. He then received an Associates Degree in Fine Arts from Saint Petersburg College in 2002.
Continuing in the local music scene, he was influenced by local jazz artist in particular trumpeter Jonathan Powell who he played in an instrument jazz project with. Shortly after he began branching out to other forms of music like reggae, blues & RnB. He later joined Tampa and Sarasota based reggae and ska group Rocksteady@8 and recorded on their album “Rub Up, Push Up”. In 2002 he play his first large jazz festival kicking off the 2002 Clearwater Jazz Holiday with then local jazz singer Suzette Jennings.
In 2003 John was accepted into the University of South Florida School of Music where he later earned his Bachelors Degree in Music in 2006 specializing in jazz piano performance. During his studies at the University of South Florida School of Music he participated in the USF Jazz Big Band 1 where he had the opportunity to perform for and be conducted by composers such as trombonist John Fedchock, trombonist Wycliff Gordon and he was conducted by Gordon Goodwin and Maria Schneider performing big band compositions as part of the USF Monday Night Jazz Master Class series. During these undergraduate years in 2005 he began playing with local jazz fusion group Infinite Groove Orchestra which began as a trio and later became a quartet with addition of Saxophonist Jeremy Powell, brother of Jonathan Powell. Infinite Groove Orchestra later recorded recorded their first album “People Music” in 2011.
In 2007 John’s private lesson business expanded to Musicology of Clearwater and in 2008 John was hired as an adjunct piano instructor for Saint Paul’s School in Clearwater. In 2009 he was hired as the primary pianist for the First Light "Ignite" contemporary worship service at the First United Methodist Church of Saint Petersburg and later moved to Hammond B3 organist and 2nd keyboardist. In 2010-2013 he returned to the University of South Florida where he graduated with a Masters Degree in Music Performance. In 2014 John was hired as an adjunct professor for Saint Petersburg College teaching for the MIRA Program. Here he gained teaching experience with the subjects of Music & Computers and Introduction to Protools 2011 at the SPC Saint Petersburg Gibbs campus as well as the SPC Tarpon Springs Campus.
John continues to play 2nd keyboards and Hammond B3 for the First United Methodist Church of Saint Petersburg "First Light" contemporary worship band, the Helios Jazz Orchestra, the Helios Swingtet, the Infinite Groove Orchestra and Infinite Groove Duo and performs solo piano for numerous private/public events around the bay area. In 2016 John won the Steinway & Son’s Top Music Teacher Award. In 2018 John joined the Players School of Music teaching jazz styles and application.
Throughout his career John has built an extensive professional performance resume preforming with the best musicians in Florida and well known artist from around the world including Kevin Mahogany, Wayne Jones, Fred Johnson, The Powell Brothers, Whitney James, Diego Figueiredo, Jeff Kashiwa, Marion Meadows, Michael Lington, Nelson Rangell, and Steve Oliver. John is driven by the passion to share his talent and inspiration with everyone as a teacher and as a performer.