Jon's Ukulele Club

Jon Stapleton is a passionate educator, musician, and tinkerer living in Staunton, Virginia. He has an eclectic musical background, with extensive non-formal experience as a guitarist, bassist, composer, electronic music producer and synthesist as well as many years of formal education in classical and jazz saxophone. Jon was a member of Dave Pope's saxophone studio at James Madison University from 2012-2016, and was a member of top JMU contemporary and classical bands, orchestras, chamber ensembles, and musical theater productions throughout his undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the James Madison University School of Music. Jon is also a decorated scholar, making several contributions to the field of music education in conference papers and presentations focusing on non-formal community music teaching and learning practices. As an educator, Jon is deeply committed to centering students' creative voice and agency as learners and artists. His pedagogical training includes Orff, Kodály, and Music Learning Theory methods along with professional education in JMU's Music Education undergraduate (class of 2016) and Master's (class of 2018) degree programs. These days, most of Jon's music production focuses on electro-acoustic music performance with an emphasis on modular synthesis and live-looping, exploring the aesthetic intersections of classical saxophone performance and improvised electronic music.