Adjunct Assistant Professor of Tuba and Euphonium- Sunderman Conservatory
Gettysburg College, Gettysburg Pennsylvania
Former Principal Tuba- U.S. Marine Band (The President’s Own) Washington D.C.
John Cradler currently serves on the music faculty at Gettysburg College and maintains a studio of select students from the Washington D.C. area. He is also the coach-conductor for the Cathedral Brass Youth ensemble from Vienna, Virginia.
As a member of the U.S. Marine Band, he performed for 5 U.S. Presidents, toured 48 of the United States, and performed in Japan, Singapore, and Switzerland. He has performed under the batons of John Williams, Osmo Vanska, Giancarlo Guerrero, Gerard Schwarz, Timothy Reynish, and many other world-renowned conductors.
In addition to his duties with the Marine Band, John has performed with The Washington Ballet, the Chesapeake Orchestra, the National Philharmonic Orchestra, The National Gallery Orchestra, The Brass Band of Battle Creek, and the Cleveland Opera. He is a founding member of the Tuba-Euphonium Quartet: Off Bass Brass, which has produced two award-winning albums. John can also be heard on the recent website reference recording of Anne McGinty’s composition: “Tuba and 12”.
Over the course of his career, John has taught countless students ranging in age from 10 to 77 years old. His performing and teaching skills have earned him several invitations to International Tuba and Euphonium Conferences. Most recently he presented a lecture in Knoxville, Tennessee entitled “The Role of the Tuba in Wind Band Literature”.
John earned his Bachelor of Music degree from The University of Wisconsin-Madison and his Master of Music Degree from The University of Akron. His primary teachers were Mitchell Gershenfeld, Ron Davis, John Stevens and Tucker Jolly. He also completed additional studies at the Banff Centre in Canada where he studied with Daniel Perantoni and Dennis Miller.
Mr. Cradler performs on the Miraphone 291 CC “Bruckner” and 481 F “Elektra” tubas.
