John Tafoya served as principal timpanist of the National Symphony Orchestra from 1999-2007. He has held previous principal timpani positions with the American Wind Symphony, the National Repertory Orchestra, the Owensboro Symphony (KY), the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra (IN) and the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also performed with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Tafoya earned BM and MM degrees in percussion performance from Indiana University. While at I.U., Tafoya was the recipient of the prestigious performer's certificate, first prize winner of the 1985 National Society of Arts and Letters competition, and performed as solo timpanist with the Indiana University Orchestra. Mr. Tafoya's percussion teachers at Indiana University were George Gaber and Gerald Carlyss.

An active educator and sought after clinician, Mr. Tafoya has presented numerous master classes and clinics at universities across the United States. He has also been a featured clinician at the Virginia/D.C. Percussive Arts Society's Day of Percussion and at PASIC 2002 (Percussive Arts Society International Convention). He has published articles for The Band Director's Guide, the Texas Bandmasters Association, the Florida Percussive Arts Society Newsletter and Percussive Notes magazine. His informative and educational web site, www.johntafoya.com, is accessed by thousands of percussion students and professional players each month. Mr. Tafoya has served on the music department faculties at the University of Evansville, Kentucky Wesleyan College, Florida International University, and the University of Maryland.

In May 2004, Carl Fischer publications released Mr. Tafoya's first book entitled; "The Working Timpanist's Survival Guide"; offering practical advice on how to prepare and perform orchestral timpani excerpts. The book also includes illustrations displaying various timpani technique and a CD-ROM containing complete timpani parts that can be printed out for further study.

During the 2000-2001 season, Mr. Tafoya performed Russell Peck's new timpani concerto, "Harmonic Rhythm", with the Columbus Symphony (GA) Orchestra and the Allentown (PA) Symphony Orchestra. He has also appeared as a timpani soloist with the Columbus Pro Music (Columbus, IN), the Evansville Chamber Orchestra and in solo and chamber recitals at the University of Maryland.

Tafoya's performance of Bartok's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion has aired on National Public Radio's "Music from Indiana" series. Other broadcasts include the St. Paul Sunday Morning radio program featuring the Summit Brass. Tafoya also participated in the 1987 Summit Brass compact disc release: "All American Brass" on the Pro Arte label and on the 1992 Arkay compact disc release of William Albright's "Music for Organ and Harpsichord" featuring organist Douglas Reed. He performed in the award-winning Florida Philharmonic Orchestra recording of Mahler's First Symphony under the direction of James Judd. Tafoya has also performed in orchestral recordings by the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Leonard Slatkin. He can also be heard on the recently released American Wind Symphony Orchestra compact disc: "Concertos All And Sundry", performing Kaoru Wada's Concertante for Timpani, Percussion and Winds under the direction of Robert Austin Boudreau.

Tafoya has worked under many prestigious conductors including: Vladimir Ashkenazy, James Conlon, Jiri Belohlavek, Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Valery Gergiev, Christopher Hogwood, Lorin Maazel, Mstislav Rostropovich, Leonard Slatkin, Osmo Vanska, John Williams, Hugh Wolff, and David Zinman.

Mr. Tafoya proudly endorses American Drum Manufacturing company, Avedis Zildjian company, Grover Pro Percussion, and Remo Inc.