About John Craton (ASCAP)
A native of Alabama, Craton began studying violin at the age of ten and piano
at fourteen. He made his first feeble attempts at composing at age eleven. He
studied violin under the late concert violinist Robert Louis Barron and John
Maltese; piano under Louis Culver and Ouida Susie Francis; and music theory
and composition under Gerald Moore and Henry Fusner. Since 1971 he has taught
both violin and piano in Alabama, Tennessee, and Indiana. He received his B.A.
from Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, and his M.A. from Indiana
University, Bloomington.
Craton has played violin in the Jacksonville State University String
Orchestra, violin with the JSU String Trio, and piano with the JSU Woodwind
Quintet. He also played violin, rebec, viola da gamba, and recorder with the
Lipscomb University Early Music Consort and maintains an active interest in
early music to this day. In 1973 he appeared in the Henry Fusner production
of The Play of Daniel on rebec (a medieval ancestor of the violin). He
played briefly as second violin in the now-defunct Helen Fowler String Quartet
of Indianapolis. Craton has appeared in numerous other recitals in Alabama,
Tennessee, and Indiana, both as soloist and as accompanist. Due to a hand injury
suffered in the fall of 2002, he was forced to abandon any hope of further public
performance. Since that time he has dedicated himself to teaching and composing.
Most of his compositional work has been in the area of chamber music, the bulk
of which is for violin and piano. Among his larger works are Beowulf: A Suite
for Ancient Instruments, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock for tenor and strings, Mongolian Folk Songs for viola and orchestra, Pagan Festivals for string orchestra, a number of ballets and several additional operas. He also has composed four concertos for mandolin and orchestra, a concerto for 2 mandolins and orchestra, a flute concerto, and a tuba concerto. Several of his works
are currently available from Wolfhead
Music.
Although Craton at one time became a clinical audiologist in his professional
life, he has maintained a strong interest in music, composition, and music instruction
from his earliest days. After his audiology practice was purchased by an Indianapolis
concern several years ago, he returned to his roots and resumed composing and
teaching. He is a member of ASCAP, Music Teachers National Association, and Indiana Music Teachers Association.
To read more about John Craton and his works please vist www.craton.net
