Dr. John E. Owen is the Associate Music Director of the Indianapolis Municipal Band, as well as serving as Music Director of the Swing Shift Indy Big Band. He holds a B.M.E. degree from Illinois Wesleyan University, a Master of Music degree from Southern Illinois University, and the Ph.D. in Music Education (with emphases in conducting and trumpet) from the Ohio State University.
Dr. Owen has 42 years teaching experience, including serving for 38 years as Director of Bands and Professor of Trumpet at Heidelberg University in Ohio. He was Music Department Chair from 1990-96 and was appointed as Associate Dean and Director of the School of Music and Theatre at Heidelberg from 2010 until his retirement in 2016. While at Heidelberg, he received the University’s Distinguished Teaching Award and an endowed professorship in the Arts and Humanities.
He has studied trumpet with Edward Sandor (University of Georgia), Armando Ghitalla (Principal Trumpet, Boston Symphony) and Dr. Richard Burkart (Ohio State University). His conducting teachers have included many of America’s leading conductors, including Carl St. Clair, Harvey Benstein, and Craig Kirchhoff. He has done advanced masterclass and clinic work with H. Robert Reynolds, Elizabeth A. H. Green, Dr. William Revelli, Eugene Corporon, Col. Arnald Gabriel, and many others.
He has served on the state board of the Ohio Music Education Association, and was a founding member and three-time president of the Ohio Private Colleges Instrumental Conductor’s Association. His professional memberships have included the Ohio Music Education Association, National Association for Music Education, College Band Director’s Association, the College Music Society, the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, and Phi Beta Mu, the International Bandmasters’ Fraternity. He has been a presenter at the Ohio Music Education Association professional conference, the College Music Society Annual Conference, and has performed at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic.
Dr. Owen is an active clinician and guest conductor, as well as a trumpet performer in solo, church, brass quintet, and band settings. He has composed works for Symphonic Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Choir. He is the father of two children, and lives in Noblesville, IN with his wife Melanie and his feisty Schnauzer McTavish.
Dr. Owen has 42 years teaching experience, including serving for 38 years as Director of Bands and Professor of Trumpet at Heidelberg University in Ohio. He was Music Department Chair from 1990-96 and was appointed as Associate Dean and Director of the School of Music and Theatre at Heidelberg from 2010 until his retirement in 2016. While at Heidelberg, he received the University’s Distinguished Teaching Award and an endowed professorship in the Arts and Humanities.
He has studied trumpet with Edward Sandor (University of Georgia), Armando Ghitalla (Principal Trumpet, Boston Symphony) and Dr. Richard Burkart (Ohio State University). His conducting teachers have included many of America’s leading conductors, including Carl St. Clair, Harvey Benstein, and Craig Kirchhoff. He has done advanced masterclass and clinic work with H. Robert Reynolds, Elizabeth A. H. Green, Dr. William Revelli, Eugene Corporon, Col. Arnald Gabriel, and many others.
He has served on the state board of the Ohio Music Education Association, and was a founding member and three-time president of the Ohio Private Colleges Instrumental Conductor’s Association. His professional memberships have included the Ohio Music Education Association, National Association for Music Education, College Band Director’s Association, the College Music Society, the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, and Phi Beta Mu, the International Bandmasters’ Fraternity. He has been a presenter at the Ohio Music Education Association professional conference, the College Music Society Annual Conference, and has performed at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic.
Dr. Owen is an active clinician and guest conductor, as well as a trumpet performer in solo, church, brass quintet, and band settings. He has composed works for Symphonic Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Choir. He is the father of two children, and lives in Noblesville, IN with his wife Melanie and his feisty Schnauzer McTavish.