John Bannon is Principal Timpanist with The Florida Orchestra and, during summers, the Colorado Music Festival in Boulder, as well as conductor of the Reflections Chamber Ensemble in the Tampa Bay area. He was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, and received his early musical training in the public schools there and in St. Petersburg, Florida. He earned degrees in Percussion Performance from the University of South Florida (BA) and the University of Michigan (MM), and in Instrumental Conducting (DMA) from the University of Miami. Dr. Bannon previously served as Principal Timpanist with orchestras in Anchorage, Oklahoma City, Mexico City, and Honolulu Symphony. He has also served as conductor of the Oklahoma City University Concert Band and Wind Ensemble, the Oklahoma Youth Orchestra Wind Ensemble, and Associate Conductor of the University of Miami Symphony Orchestra. His guest conducting includes appearances with the Pinellas Youth Symphony, the Florida Youth Orchestra, and the FloriMezzo Orchestra. Dr. Bannon is percussion instructor at the Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg and at the Kinhaven Music School in Vermont.

John is married to St. Petersburg native Carmen Newell Bannon, who is a flutist with the Florida West Coast Symphony in Sarasota, the Crested Butte Music Festival in Colorado, and a frequent extra and substitute with TFO. They live in St. Petersburg with their daughter Elizabeth and their son Kelsey.