John Brennan

John Brennan is currently the Associate Director of Bands at Plano East Senior High.  His duties at Plano East include conducting the Jazz Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Percussion Ensemble, team teaching the Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Varsity Band, Marching Band and assisting with all aspects of the band program at Plano East.  Prior to his appointment to the band staff at Plano East, Mr. Brennan was the percussion specialist for the Plano East Cluster schools for three years.  In addition to his current teaching assignment at Plano East, Mr. Brennan is an Adjunct Instructor of Music at Texas A&M University - Commerce where he teaches courses in Graduate Percussion Pedagogy and Percussion Methods.

Bands under his direction have been consistent winners of the University Interscholastic League Sweepstakes Award for Superior Ratings in Concert Performance and Sight Reading and named “Best In Class” at nationally adjudicated festivals in Orlando, Florida, Breckenridge, Colorado, San Antonio and Corpus Christi, Texas.  In 2006, the Plano East Percussion Ensemble was one of three high school ensembles selected to perform at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Austin, Texas.  

Mr. Brennan consults and writes for the Williams, and McMillen High School drumlines, in addition to writing for the award-winning Plano East Drumline.  He also writes marching percussion arrangements for many top high schools and colleges throughout the United States.  Mr. Brennan was a member of the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps from Rosemont, Illinois where he marched in the bass drum and tenor lines from 1992 to 1995 and afterwards, spent eleven years on the Cavalier’s percussion staff as an instructor.  He continues to be active as a consultant for the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps.

A published author, he has written several articles for Percussive Notes magazine on marching percussion.  Mr. Brennan is an artist/endorser for the Yamaha Corporation of America, Remo USA, Avedis Zildjian Company and Innovative Percussion. John has studied drumset with some of the greatest drummers of all time, including Stockton Helbing, Ignacia Berroa, John Riley, Joe Morello, Antonio Sanchez, Keith Carlock, and Dave Weckl. He holds the Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana and a Masters Degree in Music Performance from Texas A&M University - Commerce.

Mr. Brennan has presented two clinics at the Texas Bandmaster’s Association Annual Convention/Clinic in San Antonio, Texas. “Effective Use of Electronics in the Front Ensemble” filled a 1000 seat ballroom at the 2012 convention with the Plano East Marching Percussion Section as the demonstration group. 2013’s follow-up clinic of “Let’s Take a Look Under the Hood” was presented in front of a very large audience as well.

He is an active clinician, adjudicator, and performer throughout the United States and holds professional memberships in the Texas Music Educators Association, Percussive Arts Society, Phi Mu Alpha and was just recently inducted into Phi Beta Mu, International Bandmasters’ Fraternity. Mr. Brennan is a proud new father to Cohen Elias Brennan!