John Reeks plays clarinet, bass clarinet and saxophone in the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. He is one of the founding members of the Philharmonic and has served two terms as its President. He has held the position of Clarinet Instructor on the faculty of Loyola University New Orleans since 1992 and has established the University’s Faculty Woodwind Quintet and the Ignatius Saxophone Quartet. John is a Yamaha Performing Artist and is married to fellow LPO clarinetist Stephanie Thompson. He has Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music degrees, both from Loyola University New Orleans. His clarinet teachers include Vito Platamone, Robert Marcellus and Stanley Weinstein.
John grew up in the "Lower Ninth Ward" of New Orleans in a family filled with generations of musical and graphic artists. He has been a professional orchestral musician for over 40 years. In addition to playing in New Orleans, he has also worked with the San Antonio Symphony and the orchestras of the Santa Fe and Glimmerglass Operas. He was a member of the Spike Jones Band when that group was revamped in 1992.
John has recorded with artists ranging in diversity from Randy Newman to Nine Inch Nails. In 2007, he put together a CD recording project featuring new orchestrations of the Brahms Clarinet Sonatas entitled Old Wine In New Bottles. John presented the U.S. premiere of Dietrich Erdmann's Concerto for Bass Clarinet (with the Louisiana Philharmonic) in February 2005 and has performed at numerous International Clarinet Association ClarinetFests, including the world premiere of Stephen Dankner’s Adagio Appassionata: New Orleans, August 29, 2005. He also premiered Lines For Bass Clarinet, written by William O. Smith in 2002. He was a Host of ClarinetFest 2001 in New Orleans.
