Jonathan speaking

Jonathan James Music

Music educator, conductor

Creating
Presenting
Consulting
Conducting

About Me

I’m a freelance music educator and conductor with a specialism in collaborative creativity. Over the years I’ve built expertise in presenting about music, facilitating creative workshops, consulting on musicianship and conducting orchestras and choirs in a variety of settings.

My professional life has also been shaped by the belief that making music together has a profound social impact, often deeper and wider than we first realise. And that the effect is tripled when you bring creativity into the mix. Over the years I have developed ensembles and projects that explore this particular potential: how can a long-term creative musical intervention change lives?

Jonathan clapping

Creativity fascinates me:

how we bring a hidden thought to the surface

how we give it shape

how one person can spark another

how we can be surprised by what emerges

‘Jonathan delivered an inspiring, energetic and engaging workshop which really encouraged our students to listen and respond to each other musically. Most pleasingly, the impact of this work has continued to permeate their performance practice throughout the year’
Helen
Course leader, Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Even after thirty years of facilitating group creativity, I still marvel at how quickly and deeply music bonds people and gives us a collective purpose.

I’ve led projects for many orchestras and their ‘Participation’ teams, such as the Czech Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and BBC Orchestras.

I founded and directed the Bristol Pre-Conservatoire for 13 years, where the emphasis continues to be on versatility and creativity. I see those as essential to complete musicianship. It’s a fun place to teach and learn, based a lot on the kind of musical education I would have loved to have had at that age (11-19yrs).

I also enjoy bringing this experience to my community work, which has become core to my musical life and outlook. Having worked with people recovering from addiction, my main focus is now with asylum-seekers and refugees, through Dovetail Orchestra.

This work, together with the directorship of Bristol Pre-Conservatoire, contributed to my being awarded a British Empire Medal for services to music in the King’s birthday honours 2024.

Creating

I love to create across different styles. When I improvise at the piano I draw on contemporary classical, jazz, world and pop genres.

My background is as a conductor, classroom teacher, writer and presenter. All these feed into how I understand music, lead workshops and communicate to very different audiences.

My specialism is collaborative creativity, particularly in advanced musicians. This was the subject of my PhD and informs my work at conservatoires such as the Royal Academy of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Royal College of Music. It also is at the foundation in my role as a Creative Lead for National Children’s Orchestra and leader of the Advanced Young Musicians’ programme in Aldeburgh. 

I also have developed skills in improvising in and teaching different traditional styles from across the world, thanks to my work with the Dovetail Orchestra, a national charity that supports asylum seekers through music.

Jonathan at a music workshop
‘Jon has brought energy, creativity, professionalism and sparkle to Bristol Recovery Orchestra…He is one of a kind and we are so grateful to have his expertise and experience with us.’
Sophie
Creative Communities leader, Bristol Drugs Project
‘As a talk host for St David’s Hall, Jon always produces insightful, entertaining and well-presented talks. He has a knack for pitching his considerable knowledge to any audience, from families to the most music-savvy crowd. He is an extremely good communicator.’
Suzanne
Arts Active, St David’s hall Cardiff

Clients include:

Cadogan Hall London

National Concert Hall, Dublin

Usher Hall Edinburgh The Sage Gateshead

Bridgewater Hall Manchester

St David’s and Brangwyn Halls in Wales

Beacon Hall and St George’s Bristol

Anvil Arts Basingstoke

Cambridge Corn Exchange and Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham

BBC Radio 3 work for BBC Philharmonic and BBC National Orchestra of Wales

‘Braving the Stave’: a fun monthly podcast exploring classical music for Arts Active, St David’s Hall

My YouTube channel

Presenting

I mainly speak about classical music for orchestras and in concert venues across the UK. I like to bring the music alive on the piano and through illustrations.

My focus is on how the music works and on demystifying the creative process.

I also am a passionate speaker about the potential of music and the arts to create sanctuary. As the founder and artistic director of Dovetail Orchestra, I have first-hand experience of this work that I love to share.

Whatever I speak about, I do so with bags of enthusiasm. This is a signature trait.

Jonathan speaking
‘Jon is also an adept interviewer of musicians and conductors, and readily communicates his profound knowledge and understanding of the subject matter with great enthusiasm.’
Mary
Orchestra Tour Manager, IMG Artists
Currently I direct the Fitzhardinge Consort and the St Ambrose Choir, both of whom make a heavenly sound. Next year I will be leading the Radial Collective, a new professional ensemble specialising in contemporary music.
 
I have been a regular tutor and mentor for conducting students, especially those with leadership responsibilities at the University of Bristol. I love sharing what I’ve learned, particularly around effective rehearsal technique and score study.

Conducting

My time on the conducting podium began at Radley College as a music scholar and continued into university, during which time I went for conducting studies at the Franz Liszt Academy for Music in Germany and took private lessons at the Royal College of Music with their former head of conducting, John Forster. 
 
I set up the New Bristol Sinfonia  in 1997, which I conducted for seven years before taking a fellowship with the Boston Philharmonic under the inimitable Benjamin Zander. 
 
Since then, I have conducted orchestras, choirs, operas and music theatre shows, working with ensembles such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (both on educational programmes), and the Bristol Ensemble. 
Creative workshop session
'Jon was perfect for this task as he knows music from every angle; he is wise, he is practical, he is creative and impulsive; he’s a reader and an improviser; he is a performer and a thinker. He’s also a thoroughly nice bloke and respected in all circles, so we knew he could navigate all areas of study with ease.'
Tom Redmond
Joint Principal, Chethams School of Music

Get in Touch!

Consulting

In 2023, I was invited by Tom Redmond, director of the Chethams School of Music, to devise a model for training musicianship that would unite the approaches across their whole school, junior learners to senior, academic to practical.

The result was ‘Sing, Sign, Share‘, a model that incorporates effective methods for binding sound to gesture, as well as encouraging a creative response and assimilation of theoretical understanding.
 
I have since applied the model, or aspects of it, to student workshops, staff training and CPD sessions in a number of contexts, including:
  • Wells Cathedral School music tutors
  • Royal College of Music Master of Music Education students
  • Highgate School, London, music department staff
  • South West Music School students
  • Aldeburgh Advanced Young Musicians’ programme
  • Bristol Pre-Conservatoire students
  • PGCE students

 

In each case, staff and students have found it helpful in refreshing and inspiring their own musicianship skills and in exploring a unified pedagogical approach that works for their institution and practice.

A day’s visit usually costs £450 plus travel.

To book a training session, please email me to discuss your needs.