John Richardson

Beginnings

John has served as Zionsville Concert Band’s Music Director since the organization’s formation in 2002.

He is a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana and a graduate of Fort Wayne South High School. At age 15 as a student at the National Music Camp at Interlochen, Michigan, he performed as French horn soloist in the Mozart Horn Concerto # 3 with the camp orchestra. At age 17 he was the soloist with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Igor Buketoff playing Haydn’s Concerto # 2 for Horn.

Formal Education

He received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, with a focus on French Horn and Piano. Later he received a Master of Music degree from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.  His other major French horn teacher was Max Pottag, retired hornist of the Chicago Symphony. He studied piano with Monica Marshall Agnew in Fort Wayne, Indiana and with Margaret Gilbert at the Eastman School. John was a conducting student of Mr. Paul White at the Eastman School and John Paynter at Northwestern. 

Military Career

Following graduation from college, John was a French Hornist in the “The President’s Own United States Marine Band” and was Principal Horn in The White House Orchestra.  Additionally, John has played French Horn for Broadway productions performed in the Washington D.C. area. He is now currently retired from Christ Lutheran Church of Zionsville where he served as organist and pianist for 22 years. In earlier years, he served as its Music Director, Conductor of the Hand Bell choir, and Director of the classical and contemporary instrumental ensembles.

Today

Over the years, John has been a Guest Conductor for many musical groups including the Indiana Wind Symphony and the Indianapolis Municipal Band. John also directed a commemorative concert for Bohumir Kryl, a virtuoso cornetist held at Wabash College, as part of its Visiting Artist Series. In addition, John has also been co-conductor and pianist for the Athenaeum Orchestra in Indianapolis.

In addition to his duties with the Zionsville Concert Band, John teaches piano and band instruments, is a Board Member of the Indianapolis Brass Choir, and on Sundays, is one of the organists for church services at Hoosier Village Chapel in Zionsville and Trinity Lutheran Church in Lebanon. Additionally, he is the conductor for The Circle City Trumpets, which is the core group for the Christmas ensemble, The Tinsel Trumpets.

Larry Herris

Larry is a native of Cleveland, Ohio. He received a B.S. from Malone University, and an M.A. degree from Case Western Reserve University, both in Music Education. He then taught most areas of school music in Stark County, Ohio. As a trumpet player, he has played in bands in Canton, Ohio and Sarasota, Florida. Currently, he plays trumpet in the Zionsville Concert Band.

Katie Safa

Katie Safa is a native of Zionsville, Indiana and has been a member of the Zionsville Concert Band since 2019. Her primary instrument is trumpet, and in 2016, she graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. During her undergraduate studies, Katie was a student conductor for the Lexington New Horizon Band, where she first developed an interest in conducting amateur adult musicians. She is a former public school band director in Indiana and Kentucky and actively participates
as a trumpet player in local ensembles.