John Meehan

As he begins his second season with the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps, John  Meehan proudly serves as Corps Director and Music Arranger/Composer/ Coordinator, supporting the corps' commitment to educational excellence, member development, and organizational progress. A passionate educator, composer, and mentor, John is  committed to empowering young performers through meaningful experiences  both on and off the field. He is honoured to contribute to the Crossmen legacy  and energized by the opportunities ahead as the corps continues its pursuit of  excellence.  

Drum Corps International Hall of Famer John Meehan is widely recognized as  one of the marching arts' most influential and accomplished creative leaders,  with more than three decades of experience in championship-level performance  design, music education, and artistic innovation. As a composer, arranger,  educator, adjudicator, and arts executive, he has helped shape generations of  performers and educators while creating memorable productions and musical  experiences for audiences around the world. His impact extends far beyond the  marching arts, with work spanning world-class drum corps and marching bands,  professional sports organizations, film and entertainment projects, and a diverse  range of performing arts organizations across multiple continents.  

As Executive & Artistic Director of Dynamic Performing Arts in Calgary, Alberta,  John has led the organization's evolution into a thriving home for performers and  educators. Under his direction, Dynamic has strengthened its brand and  expanded to encompass four performing ensembles: Dynamic Winterguard,  Dynamic Winds, Dynamic Novas, and Dynamic All-Stars, an innovative and  inclusive color guard program serving individuals with disabilities and  neurodiverse conditions. His leadership reflects a passion for artistic excellence,  accessibility, and transformative educational experiences.  

A member of the educational and design team of the Blue Devils Drum & Bugle  Corps since 1994, John currently serves as brass arranger. He also played an  instrumental role in the development of BD Entertainment, contributing  compositions, arrangements, and performances for major productions and  events including Super Bowl 50, the San Francisco 49ers, the Golden State  Warriors, and numerous other high-profile entertainment projects.  

For more than three decades, John has composed and arranged music for  marching ensembles throughout North America, South America, Europe, and  Asia. Internationally recognized for his expertise in brass pedagogy, ensemble  development, and performance excellence, he has collaborated with  organizations in Canada, the United States, Brazil, China, England, Ireland, and  Japan. 

His creative work extends well beyond the marching arts. Notable projects  include coordinating and arranging the DCI version of Grammy-nominated Cody  Fry's Magic in You, composing The Music of WYLAND with Scott Johnson, scoring  independent and student films, and producing music for national advertising  campaigns and multimedia productions. John is published by The RWS Music  Company, and his composition The Mad Hatter was selected as a J.W. Pepper  Editor's Choice, reflecting his growing impact on the wind band repertoire and  contemporary concert music landscape.  

John's contributions to the profession have been recognized through induction  into the Drum Corps International Hall of Fame (2019), the World Drum Corps  Hall of Fame (2019), and the Buglers Hall of Fame (2016).  

In addition to his composing and educational work, John is an accomplished  audio and video producer whose projects have supported performers in  marching band, winter guard, dance, and figure skating throughout North  America. During the pandemic, he produced more than 250 custom audio and  video projects, helping ensembles continue to create, connect, and perform  during one of the most challenging periods in recent performing arts history.  

Among his many career achievements, John served as lead designer for the  System Blue and King marching brass instrument lines; contributed to the  development and production of the Sample Logic and System Blue sound  libraries; serves as a nationally recognized adjudicator for organizations  including Bands of America; and performed as a percussionist on the soundtrack  for Disney/Pixar's Monsters University.  

John is a Conn-Selmer Artist, Educator, and Product Designer and utilizes  Sibelius, Logic Pro, and Final Cut Pro in his creative work. He resides in Calgary,  Alberta, with his wife, Jackie, and their rescue dog, Sully. Together, John and  Jackie are proud parents of three daughters.