John Shawcross

A graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2001 (Jazz Studies / Composition and Arranging), John has worked extensively throughout Australia and abroad as a pianist, arranger, producer and musical director. In 2006, John was invited to the New York Music Theatre Festival as Musical Director for the Australian Musical Virgins. John has written and arranged music for Rhonda Burchmore, Gorgi Coghlan and Verity Hunt-Ballard and has toured with musicians such as James Morrison, Don Burrows and Graeme Lyall. John has also worked with renowned New York saxophonist and arranger Bob Mintzer, and studied arranging and music direction under former Count Basie Orchestra leader, Dr. Frank Foster. In 2008 John was the Band Director for the World Youth Day Commissioning Mass at Etihad Stadium and in 2010 he was a band member for the Australian premiere of Jersey Boys in Melbourne. More recently, John was the arranger and pianist for Debbie Howard’s recording project “Heaven Touches Earth”, and in June 2011 he performed at the Adelaide Caberet Festival in the role of Musical Director/Pianist/Arranger for Bert LaBonte’s “When I Fall In Love – The Nat King Cole Story”. John is the Stage Band Director at St. Joseph’s College Geelong.