John William Griffith II is an American conductor and composer based in Amsterdam. He performs a wide range of repertoire from the 18th century to the modern day, from a cappella works to large-scale choral-symphonic masterpieces. With a background in composition, John has a particular affinity for 20th and 21st century choral music. He studied choral and opera composition with the late Sven-David Sandström, and has sung with the Eric Ericsons Kammarkör, Cappella Amsterdam, and the Bachkoor Holland.
John earned his Master’s degree in Choral Conducting at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam (final exam: 9.0/10.0), studying with Daniel Reuss, Benjamin Goodson, Maria van Nieukerken, Karel Deseure, and Antony Hermus. He also holds a Master of Music in Composition from the Royal College of Music (London), where he studied composition with Alison Kay and conducting with Howard Williams. John was also mentored by Timothy Brown at Cambridge University.
As a composer, John has had his music performed by leading ensembles such as the Fidelio Trio, NOTUS Contemporary Vocal Ensemble, the Estonian National Male Chorus, and the Choral Arts Initiative of Orange County, California. His orchestral piece When I’m reminded of home was awarded the Royal College of Music Concerto Competition Prize in 2023. His cantata Gospel Oak: nine songs for double choir a cappella, setting the poetry of Welsh writer Sharon Morris, was awarded the BMI Composers Award in 2024, and went on to earn 2nd prize in the Sven-David Sandström Award for Choral Composition. His trio for oboe, viola & piano from the fire tower (2024) is published by Trevco Music.
Beyond the choral genre, John has conducted works from the orchestral and operatic repertoire. He recently collaborated with students of the Dutch National Opera Academy, performing scenes and arias from Georges Bizet's Carmen. In December 2025, he conducted scenes of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor with students from the CvA vocal department and the CvA Philharmonic Orchestra. Other orchestral projects at the CvA have included Stravinsky's Petrushka, Felix Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 7.