John Licari
John Licari, a music teacher, percussionist, music copyist, and composer, is originally from Marlboro, New York. Both of his parents played music in some form, and his maternal grandmother played the harp and the piano. He started playing percussion in the concert band in 5th grade, and started singing in the chorus in 6th grade. Both activities continued through high school, attending All-County, and Area All State for both ensembles. After getting an A.A.S in Music Business from SUNY Orange, he moved down to New York City in 2007 to attend CUNY Hunter College majoring in music.
After graduating with a BA in Music, he decided to fulfill another dream and start the process of becoming a music educator. In 2009, he started attending Hunter College again, but this time setting course to earn an MA in Music Education. After graduating in 2011, he started working as a music teacher in the New York City public school system - P.S. 215Q - Lucretia Mott in Far Rockaway. There, he raised money to start a concert band, and a modern rock band. He currently works at P.S. 84 - José De Diego in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where he has a concert band, modern rock band, and assists with the choir, and the string orchestra. It's not uncommon for his students to be the guinea pigs for one of his new compositions.
When he is not setting a score, composing, or teaching, he continues to do what he loves doing in his spare time - play the drums. For 15 years and counting, he has played drums for numerous punk rock outfits - The Black Hand, Tesla's Revenge, and currently, The Orgonauts, Cop Out!, and Punk Rock Polka Experience. He is also a snare drummer for the Professional Musicians of Orange County, a collection of musicians who are hired to perform in various parades all over the Hudson Valley, and New Jersey.
John lives in Queens with his wife, Kerry.