Jhon Ciro began his percussion studies at Universidad de Antioquia (Colombia) and received various scholarships and performance awards including the Meritorious Final Concert, Valedictorian award (“mejor graduado”), Scholarship for Master level studies awarded to the student with the best GPA of the academic program, and the Class honors: Best semester GPA, twice. Graduated at Universidad EAFIT, Colombia, as a Master of Music (Percussion Performance).
Jhon Ciro complemented his studies with composition, since then, he performed various percussion and marimba solo performances in International Festivals and Concerts including the III Concurso Latinoamericano de Marimbistas in Chiapas – México; VIII and XV Festival Internacional de Percusión “Fundación cultural Patagonia” in Argentina; III, IV, V, VI and VII Festival Internacional de Percusión in Ibagué – Colombia; XI and XII Festival Internacional de Percusión “Tamborimba”, in Cali – Colombia and the XXXII Festival Internacional de Piano UIS in Bucaramanga, Colombia; among others.
Jhon Ciro has performed as soloist with the “Orquesta Sinfónica de Rio Negro”, Argentina, “Orquesta de Arcos de la Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga”, “Orquesta Sinfónica de Ibagué”, “Banda Sinfónica del Quindío”, “Banda Sinfónica Universidad de Antioquia”, “Ensamble de Percusión Universidad de Antioquia”, “Ensamble de Percusión El Toque”, “Ensamble de percusión SAETA” and “Ensamble de Percusión Percanto”.
He also performed as part of the “Orquesta Filarmónica de Medellín”, “Orquesta Sinfónica de EAFIT”, “Banda Sinfónica de la Universidad de Antioquia”, “Banda Sinfónica del Quindío”, “Banda Sinfónica de Apía Risaralda”, and the “Big Band de Medellín”.
Currently, he performs with the “Dúo ASAF” with the guitarist Karen Arango, with whom he has played in Spain, Argentina and Colombia. And he is the founder and director of the “Ensamble de Percusión SAETA”.
His compositions focus mainly on solo repertoire for marimba and percussion based on elements of Colombian folklore.
Jhon Ciro teaches Percussion at the Universidad Industrial de Santander in Bucaramanga – Colombia, where he runs the “Festival Internacional de Percusión UIS” since 2016.