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Author
Donn is the author of the critically acclaimed It's All About HYMN: Essays on Reclaiming Sacred and Traditional Music for Worship (September 2008, Kings Crown Publishing), and the just-released Instrumental Influences: Reflections on the Classical Guitar from the Instrument's Most Influential Performers and Pedagogues (April 2011). As a freelance writer, Donn has written more than 800 general-interest articles and had more than 80 papers published in industry or peer-reviewed journals in the earth/space sciences and technical communications.
Church Musician
Donn began participating as a church musician in junior high school in Ft. Lauderdale, FL where he sang in the choir for Grace Brethren Church. While in high school, he and three other church/high school friends formed the Christian folk/gospel music quartet, The Young People, performing in churches around south Florida and at revivals and conferences around the state of Florida. A former lead guitarist with praise and worship bands at previous churches, Donn now performs classical guitar arrangements of sacred music on a regular basis at his church (Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church) in Austin, Texas as well as other houses of worship around the country.
Classical Guitarist
Throughout Donn's professional career, he continued to pursue his interest and passion with the classical guitar. Donn began classical guitar lessons at age 12, but when the Beatles came on the scene a year later, he wanted to be more like George Harrison than legendary classical guitarist, Andrés Segovia, whom Donn saw in concert in 1964. Donn played in rock in high school, having opened for several major international music groups. Throughout much of his professional career as geologist/ geophysicist, and later as a technical writer and editor, Donn played mostly for his own personal enjoyment. He returned to studying the classical guitar in 2000.
Donn has studied with renowned classical guitarist/teachers Dr. Nicholas Ciraldo (currently professor of guitar at Southern Mississippi State University), Dr. Adam Holzman (NAXOS label recording artist and founder and department chair of the classical guitar department at The University of Texas at Austin), and Dr. Matthew Hinsley, executive director of the Austin Classical Guitar Society, where Donn served as a board member from 2004 - 2006. In addition, he has had lessons with lutenist and Grammy-Award winner Ronn McFarlane, virtuoso Ana Vidovic, and former Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) International Competition winner, Mary Ackerman.
Donn is the author of the critically acclaimed It's All About HYMN: Essays on Reclaiming Sacred and Traditional Music for Worship (September 2008, Kings Crown Publishing), and the just-released Instrumental Influences: Reflections on the Classical Guitar from the Instrument's Most Influential Performers and Pedagogues (April 2011). As a freelance writer, Donn has written more than 800 general-interest articles and had more than 80 papers published in industry or peer-reviewed journals in the earth/space sciences and technical communications.
Church Musician
Donn began participating as a church musician in junior high school in Ft. Lauderdale, FL where he sang in the choir for Grace Brethren Church. While in high school, he and three other church/high school friends formed the Christian folk/gospel music quartet, The Young People, performing in churches around south Florida and at revivals and conferences around the state of Florida. A former lead guitarist with praise and worship bands at previous churches, Donn now performs classical guitar arrangements of sacred music on a regular basis at his church (Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church) in Austin, Texas as well as other houses of worship around the country.
Classical Guitarist
Throughout Donn's professional career, he continued to pursue his interest and passion with the classical guitar. Donn began classical guitar lessons at age 12, but when the Beatles came on the scene a year later, he wanted to be more like George Harrison than legendary classical guitarist, Andrés Segovia, whom Donn saw in concert in 1964. Donn played in rock in high school, having opened for several major international music groups. Throughout much of his professional career as geologist/ geophysicist, and later as a technical writer and editor, Donn played mostly for his own personal enjoyment. He returned to studying the classical guitar in 2000.
Donn has studied with renowned classical guitarist/teachers Dr. Nicholas Ciraldo (currently professor of guitar at Southern Mississippi State University), Dr. Adam Holzman (NAXOS label recording artist and founder and department chair of the classical guitar department at The University of Texas at Austin), and Dr. Matthew Hinsley, executive director of the Austin Classical Guitar Society, where Donn served as a board member from 2004 - 2006. In addition, he has had lessons with lutenist and Grammy-Award winner Ronn McFarlane, virtuoso Ana Vidovic, and former Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) International Competition winner, Mary Ackerman.
A native of Gloucester, MA, Donn grew up in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and graduated
from Florida Atlantic University with a B.S. in Geology/Geophysics. Upon
graduation, he worked for NOAA for several years as a research geological
oceanographer in Miami, FL. After leaving government service, Donn worked for
Phillips Petroleum (now Conoco-Phillips) in Bartlesville, OK and later in Houston,
TX, where he also was adjunct faculty lecturer with the University of Houston
Downtown College, Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. The Oil
Crisis of 1986 forced down into a new career: technical writing and editing, and
since then has managed both projects and teams in marketing/technical
communications for companies that design and manufacture microprocessors. He
has completed 15 hours of graduate work in geochemistry (planetary), and
recently completed a Master's Certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola
University.
Donn lives in Austin, Texas with his wife of 22 years, Jeanette. Donn's daughter Michelle lives in Hawaii with husband Mike (USAF) and two kids, Tyler (14) and Hailey (11).
Donn lives in Austin, Texas with his wife of 22 years, Jeanette. Donn's daughter Michelle lives in Hawaii with husband Mike (USAF) and two kids, Tyler (14) and Hailey (11).