John White - Musician

John started playing percussion at age 12, studying with Richard Smith at the Elder Conservatorium in Adelaide, Australia. In 1978 John was a state finalist in the ABC’s Young Musicians Award performing the Milhaud Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. In 1981 he won the Australian National ABC Young Musicians Award performing the Creston Marimba Concerto with the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra.

John graduated with First Class Honours in Music Performance. He then studied timpani with Alan Cumberland at the Royal College of Music London, marimba with Gordon Stout in New York and vibraphone with Gary Burton in Boston, USA. Until 1992, John played in professional orchestras including the Australian Opera, State Opera of SA and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra as well as lectured in percussion at the University of Adelaide. John moved to London in 1993 to study orthopaedic surgery while completing a PhD investigating the orthopaedic problems of musicians.

Whilst living in the UK, he played in several amateur orchestras and continued to study timpani at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

In 2016 John returned to Adelaide and resumed his position as timpanist with one of Adelaide’s community orchestras and the Australian Doctors Orchestra. He continues to work in his day job as a general orthopaedic trauma and hand & upper limb surgeon at Flinders Medical Centre.