John Kasica
John Kasica is a native of Clifton, New Jersey. Mr. Kasica received his Bachelor of Music from the Juilliard School of Music. Since 1971 he has been a member of the percussion section of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. He has made numerous appearances as a solo percussionist, and has presented the American premieres of two major marimba concertos. In 1986 he made his solo debut at N.H.K. Hall in Tokyo with the SLSO’s Far East Tour, performing Minoru Miki’s marimba concerto. As a chamber music soloist, Mr. Kasica has appeared with the Music Aeterna in New York City, Suzuki and Friends in Indianapolis, Da Camera in Houston and as a percussionist in the Summit Brass, as well as Chamber Music of Saint Louis. Mr. Kasica has the unique distinction of having had more solo appearances with major U.S. orchestras than any percussionists in U.S. history, with more than fifty performances. He is on the faculty of the Masterworks Festival each summer.
He and his wife Paula (a flutist) live in Wildwood, Missouri. The Kasicas also perform together as Windfire in chamber concert recitals. In 2003 and 2004 Windfire performed throughout England, and in 2006 won the Chamber Music Competition at the National Flute Convention.
