Originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, Master Sergeant John Blair holds a Master of Music degree from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree from James Madison University. His principal teachers include Richie Hawley, Steve Cohen, Ron de Kant, Dr. Janice Minor, Dr. D. Ray McClellan, and Patti Carlson. As a member of The U.S. Army Field Band, Master Sgt. Blair has performed as soloist with the Concert Band and on the Army Field Band’s Chamber Music Series. He is a member of the Woodwind Ambassadors and has performed numerous educational outreach concerts and masterclasses. Master Sgt. Blair has also performed professionally with the Tidewater Winds Concert Band, the Penn’s Woods Festival Orchestra, the Howard County Ballet Orchestra, the Columbia Orchestra, and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra in conjunction with the Bay Youth Symphony Orchestra. Master Sgt. Blair is currently a substitute clarinetist with the Maryland Symphony Orchestra.
The Concert Band, the oldest and largest of The U.S. Army Field Band’s five ensembles, has performed for over 100 million people worldwide since its founding in 1946. This elite 65-member group has toured across all 50 states and 25 countries, performing in venues ranging from the Berlin Philharmonie and Carnegie Hall to state fairs and high school gyms. Often joined by the Soldiers’ Chorus, the band presents marches, overtures, popular and patriotic music, and solos. They’ve collaborated with renowned orchestras like the Boston Pops and Detroit Symphony and participated in presidential inaugurations and diplomatic events, embodying American pride and professionalism in every performance.