朱宗慶畢業於國立臺灣藝術專科學校（現國立臺灣藝術大學）音樂科，隨後至奧地利國立維也納音樂院深造，師事華特．懷格（Walter Veigl）教授及維也納愛樂前打擊樂首席理查．霍賀萊納（Richard Hochrainer）教授。1982年獲打擊樂演奏家文憑，為華人世界獲得該項文憑之第一人。2005年獲得國立臺灣大學管理學院高階公共管理碩士學位；2017年獲國立臺北藝術大學頒授名譽博士學位。

回國後擔任臺灣省立交響樂團打擊樂首席，積極活躍於音樂舞臺。1986年1月成立朱宗慶打擊樂團，是臺灣第一支專業的打擊樂團，並數度赴歐、美、亞、澳等多國演出。1989年成立財團法人擊樂文教基金會，專司樂團行政事務。1991年創辦朱宗慶打擊樂教學系統，自基礎教育來推廣打擊樂。1993年創辦「TIPC臺灣國際打擊樂節」，建構引領國際打擊樂發展之重樂平台，至今共舉辦十屆。1998年創辦《蓺類》雜誌，希望引領更多人進入藝術生活。1999年起，每年舉辦「TIPSC台北國際打擊樂夏令營」，提供國內學習打擊樂的年輕學子一個多元豐富的學習管道，希望引領更多人進入藝術生活。

曾任國立臺北藝術大學校長、音樂系教授兼主任暨研究所所長、藝術行政與管理研究所教授兼所長、2009高雄世界運動會開閉幕式總導演，以及國立中正文化中心主任暨改制行政法人首任藝術總監與第四屆董事長、國家交響樂團團長；2017年1月至2022年4月擔任國家表演藝術中心董事長。

獲獎無數，曾獲頒「青年獎章」、「十大傑出青年」、「金鼎獎」、「金曲獎」、「國家文藝獎」、「總統府二等景星勳章」，並由國際打擊樂藝術協會（Percussive Arts Society, PAS）頒授「傑出貢獻獎」、「終身教育成就獎」，以表揚他對打擊樂藝術的貢獻與成就。：2016年獲選PAS名人堂，是華人世界獲此殊榮之第一人；2020年以其在打擊樂、藝術教育、劇場管理等領域之卓越貢獻，獲頒「行政院文化獎」。

現任朱宗慶打擊樂團藝術總監、國立臺北藝術大學講座教授、國立臺灣藝術大學榮譽教授。

The well-known percussionist, who has played a significant role in enhancing the wide interest in percussion music in Taiwan over the last three decades, and the popularity of percussion music in Taiwan owes a great deal to Ju for his pioneering efforts in music education.

Upon graduating from the National Taiwan Academy of the Arts (now known as National Taiwan University of Arts), he continued his percussion studies at Hochschule fur Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna with Walter Veigl and Richard Hochrainer, former principal percussionist of the Wiener Philharmoniker. He was the first Chinese who received the diploma of Music Performer in percussion in 1982. In 2005, Ju received his Executive Master of Business Administration degree from the National Taiwan University.

Upon returning to Taiwan, he served as the principal percussionist of the Taiwan Symphony Orchestra. He founded Taiwan’s first percussion ensemble, the Ju Percussion Group (JPG), in 1986. Three years later, the Ju Percussion Group Foundation was formed to manage JPG’s administrative affairs. In 1991, he established the Ju Percussion Music School, the first domestically developed percussion education system to promote the percussive arts in Taiwan.

In 1993, he organized the Taiwan International Percussion Convention (TIPC). The successful events held every 2 years introduced the most avant-garde trend of percussion art in the world to Taiwan. In 1999, he founded the Taipei International Percussion Summer Camp (TIPSC), giving an opportunity for percussion students to expand their musical visions and enrich their percussion educations.

He has been served as the Director of National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, the Director and the Chairman of the Board of National Theatre and National Concert Hall (NTCH), the Principal of Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA), and the General Director of the Opening /Closing Ceremony for the 2009 World Games Kaohsiung. From January 2017 to April 2022, he served as the chairman of the National Performing Arts Center.

For his artistic excellence, he has received numerous honors including the National Award for Arts, the Presidential Order of Brilliant Star with Violet Grand Cordon and National Cultural Awards. In 2016, he has been inducted by the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) into its Hall of Fame. In 2020, he received the 39th National Cultural Award for his outstanding contributions in the fields of percussion music, art education, and theater management.

At present, he is the Artistic Director of Ju Percussion Group, Chair Professor of Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA), and Emeritus Professor of Nation Taiwan University of Arts (NTUA).