DMV Music Academy founder, percussionist, entrepreneur, freelancer, professor, and performer Donnie Johns stops by to talk about his recent PASIC performance as part of the Colour of Music Orchestral Percussion Section (03:00), his percussion activities with Richmond Symphony, Bowie State, UMBC, and DMV (19:00), growing up south of Baltimore, his extensive musical background, and his baseball and sports background (35:30), his years at the University of Maryland for undergrad (54:05), going to grad school back at Maryland and his decision to leave full-time secondary school teaching (01:11:00), and settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including segments on being an African American in percussion, C.S. Lewis, and Nikki Giovanni (01:20:45).
FInishing with a Rave on Muhammad Ali’s 1975 autobiography (01:40:10).
Links:
Donnie Johns’ DMV Percussion Page
The Colour of Music PASIC Performance
Thomas Spann, Jr. on the podcast
Lamon Lawhorn on the podcast in 2020
Maryland wins 2002 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship
“The Whole Toy Laid Down” - Dave Hollinden
“Stained Glass” - David Gillingham
“Third Construction” - John Cage
“And the Mountains Rising Nowhere” - Joseph Schwantner
“Sunset Glow” - Samuels/Friedman
“Timpani Concert No. 1” - James Oliverio
The Problem of Pain - C.S. Lewis
Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis
“Let’s Stay Together” - Al Green
“What’s Going On” - Marvin Gaye
Raves:
The Greatest: My Own Story - Muhammad Ali and Richard Durham