John Kasica is a native of Clifton, New Jersey. He received his Bachelor of Music from the Juilliard School of Music. Since 1971 John Kasica has been a member of the percussion section of the St. Louis Symphony. He has made numerous appearances as a solo percussionist, and has presented the American premieres of two major marimba concertos.
In 1986 John Kasica made his solo debut at N.H.K. Hall in Tokyo with the St. Louis Symphony’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.
John Kasica has the unique distinction of having had more solo appearances with major U.S. orchestras than any other percussionist in U.S. history, with more than fifty performances. He is on the faculty of the Masterworks Festival each summer in Winona Lake, Indiana.
John Kasica and his wife Paula (a flutist) perform together as WINDFIRE: Flute & Percussion Spectacular 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.
