John Max McFarland is an active composer/arranger in the marching
arts.  He currently serves as the Program Coordinator, Percussion
Arranger, and Sound Designer for The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps.
Previously he served as the Program Coordinator for Legends Drum and
Bugle Corps (Kalamazoo, MI) from 2016 to 2022. From 2013 to 2015 he
was the percussion composer/arranger for Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps
from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  In 2020 John joined The White Sabers Drum
and Bugle Corps (Rochester, NY) as show coordinator and battery
arranger.  He is still involved with the corps assuming roles as the
percussion arranger and music coordinator.  In 2018 he was the
percussion caption head and arranger for the Erie Thunderbirds Drum
and Bugle Corps in Erie, PA.

In WGI, John has composed and arranged for many ensembles ranging from
Scholastic A Class to Independent World Class. Many notable clients
include Eastside Fury (2012-2014), Notre Dame Indoor Percussion
Ensemble (PIA Finalists 2012, 2013) Ferndale Independent Percussion
(2015 PIA Silver Medalists), Farmington United Percussion (2017 PIA
Silver Medalists), and Decatur Central Indoor Percussion (2018 PSCA
Gold Medalists). John also composes marching band shows for high
schools and colleges all over the country.

From 2014 – 2020 John was heavily involved with the Cleveland Browns
Drumline acting as their Program Director, Music Composer, as well as
Game Day Performer.

John is also the orchestrator for ‘Infamous’; a brand new,
groundbreaking musical by Playwright David Owen Michaels, which tells
the story of the Abraham Lincoln assassination through the eyes of
John Wilkes Booth.

John received his degrees in Composition (B.M.) and Percussion
Performance (B.M., M.M.) from Western Michigan University. He studied
percussion under Judy Moonert. John has performed as the principal
percussionist and Principal Timpanist for the University Concert and
Symphonic Bands, as well as the University Symphony Orchestra. He has
also performed with the Kalamazoo Symphony and Battle Creek Symphony
as a substitute percussionist.

John was also a marching member of the Kiwanis Kavaliers Drum & Bugle
Corps as well as the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps. John
studied composition under Curtis Curtis-Smith, Dr. Richard Adams, and
Dr. Robert Ricci. His compositions and arrangements have received
international recognition with performances all over the United States
as well as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, and Indonesia. John is also
the owner and founder of Six to Five Productions, LLC a marching arts
music publishing company where many of his original shows for marching
band, winter percussion, and concert percussion can be found.

John resides in Medina, Ohio with his wife Sydney, his son Camden, his
daughter Cadence, and his 2 dogs (Tippy and Ozark)