Dr. John Anderson, founder and conductor of Ensemble Monterey Chamber Orchestra, is Chair of the Division of Creative Arts and a member of the music faculty at Monterey Peninsula College. He has had nationwide experience as a guest conductor and clinician and has served on the faculties of Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky; Indiana State University; California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo; and Cabrillo College in Aptos, California.

Dr. Anderson served as Associate Conductor of Colorado's prestigious Breckenridge Festival for seven years.

Dr. Anderson is past President of the Central Coast Section of the California Music Educators Associaton, and has served on the Board of Youth Music Monterey and the State Board of California Music Educators Association. A recognized expert in the music of Edgard Varése, he has published articles on Varése in the Musical Quarterly and the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Journal.

A native of Cupertino, California, Dr. Anderson holds Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from UCLA and a Doctorate in Conducting from the University of Northern Colorado. His teachers included Clarence Sawhill, Nicholas Slonimsky, Sheridon Stokes and Eugene Corporon.