Hailed by The New York Times as “ardent and mellifluous” as well as a “clear-voiced tenor,” some of his recent and upcoming singing engagements include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and the role of Tamino (The Magic Flute) with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Joann Falletta, Handel’s Messiah with the Nashville Symphony, Messiah, and Berlioz’s Roméo et Juliette with the Santa Fe Symphony, the role of Goro (Madama Butterfly) with Opera Southwest, and numerous performances with ChatterABQ. Highlights of his international appearances include his European debut in Rome singing the Saint Saëns Requiem (Festival Internazionale di Musica e Arte Sacra), his South American debut in São Paulo, Brazil singing Mozart’s Missa in C (at Auditório Ibirapuera), Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 in Ontario, Canada (Brott Music Festival), and recitals at King Abdullah University of Science & Technology in Jedda, Saudi Arabia. He has been a part of numerous world premiere performances, including creating three operatic roles for Norwegian composer Gisle Kverndokk - The Young Man in Upon this Handful of Earth, Trouble in Max and Moritz, and the Man in the Mirror in Supersize Girl (all with New York Opera Society), as well as singing the world premiere of Gregory Walker’s The Passion According to St. Toscanini (Boulder Philharmonic).

John lived in New York City for 14 years and, during that time, was involved in choral music at the very highest levels as a choir member, section leader, soloist, and conductor. He has worked with famed choral and orchestral ensembles such as the New York Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Voices of Ascension, Musica Sacra, the Oratorio Society of New York, and the American Symphony Orchestra, performing in venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Symphony Space, St. Peter’s Basilica and Archbasilica of St. John Lateran (Rome, Italy), as well as Trinity Wall Street, The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Temple Emanu El, St. Thomas Church, and the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola.

John currently lives in Santa Fe and directs the choir program at the Gonzales Community School. He is a substitute conductor at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi as well as a frequent choral clinician with the Santa Fe Symphony Chorus. He maintains an active private voice studio and is part of the Young-Tiranno Duo that he started with his wife, violinist Elizabeth Young, in 2018.

The Zia Singers promote joy by championing the love and craft of choral music through public performances, education, and outreach.

The Zia Singers became a 501©3 non-profit in 2016 and look forward to a future of expanded outreach and presence in the Santa Fe, New Mexico community they call home.