John McGuire

Biography

Dr. John McGuire has a vast array of performance and teaching experiences. He has performed with many orchestras around the country, most notably the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Dallas Opera, the Fort Worth Symphony, the New World Symphony in Miami, Florida, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, and the Florida West Coast Symphony. John has also toured internationally with the acclaimed Fortress Brass Quintet, of which he is a founding member.

As a soloist, he was awarded the title “Yamaha Young Artist,” has been a finalist in the American Horn Competition (now the International Horn Competition of America), won several regional solo competitions, and has appeared as a guest artist at many workshops, festivals and schools across the United States, United Kingdom, France, Brazil, Russia, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, and Japan. With several world-premiere performances to his credit, John is a passionate proponent of creating new solo horn literature and a sought-after contemporary music performer. To this end, in 2020, he released his first solo album, Lines at Dusk, on the Navona Records label. Lines at Dusk can be found on all major streaming services.

John is the associate professor of horn at Colorado State University, a position he has held since 2012. His duties include applied horn and chamber music and performing in various solo and chamber settings. Before serving on the faculty of CSU, John served as adjunct instructor of horn at the University of Alabama, Mississippi State University, Appalachian State University, Texas Women’s University, the Music Institute of Chicago, and Florida A&M University. In addition, he maintained a private studio of over fifty students in the Dallas/Fort Worth area public school systems for many years and was a prominent clinician and adjudicator. Today, many of John’s former students have moved into successful careers as music educators in reputable school systems and have attained positions as orchestral and band performers in premier ensembles nationwide.

Since his arrival at CSU, John has hosted numerous large events, including regional workshops, the International Horn Competition of America on three occasions (2017, 2019, and 2024), and the 56^th International Horn Symposium in 2024, which was a joint event between IHCA and the International Horn Society.

Additionally, John was selected for the CSU Office of the President’s Leadership Fellow’s Program, a professional development opportunity designed to help participants strengthen their leadership skills, enhance their understanding of higher education, and gain experience that will benefit them in their current and future positions. In this program, John was embedded in the CSU Human Resources department, working on employee health and wellness issues. After completing this program and other leadership opportunities, John was named program head of the Music Department at CSU in 2024.

John received his D.M.A. and B.M. in Music Performance from the University of Alabama, his M.M. in Performance from Florida State University, and a Performer’s Certificate from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University in Chicago. His major professors were Charles “Skip” Snead, William Capps, and Dale Clevenger.