Cello
Education
Jonathan began his cello studies with Judith Shiffers, first at the D.C. Youth Orchestra program, and later, as a Levine student during his high school years. He was a member of the Levine Chamber Orchestra during its first year. Jonathan received his B.A. from Bard College, where he studied cello with Luis Garcia Renart. He then earned a Master of Music degree in performance at Northwestern University, studying with Hans Jørgen Jensen. He has participated in the Cello Teachers Workshop at the String Academy of Wisconsin and the Summer String Teachers Workshop at Ohio State University. He also took Suzuki level 2 training at the Greater Washington Suzuki Institute.
Performance and Teaching Experience
Jonathan has been a freelance cellist in the Greater Washington area since 1996. From 1996 to 2003, Jonathan was a section cellist, Associate, and Acting Principal Cello in the Maryland Symphony Orchestra. He has performed with the Fairfax Symphony, Arlington Symphony, Natal Philharmonic Orchestra in Durban, South Africa, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and given numerous solo and chamber recital appearances both at home and abroad. Jonathan was also a member of the Takoma Ensemble from 2013 to 2019. He has participated in the Bowdoin International Music Festival and the Northwest Corner Young Artist Workshop.
Jonathan has maintained a private studio since 1996 and taught studio cello at the Holton-Arms Center of the Arts. He served as sectional and chamber music coach at the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras from 1997 to 2005. He taught elementary and middle school strings in Arlington County, Virginia, from 2004 to 2022 and has taught elementary strings in Howard County, Maryland, since 2017. He regularly serves as cello examiner for the local Maryland chapter of the American String Teachers Association Certificate Program and adjudicator for the Maryland All-State Orchestra.
At Levine
Jonathan began teaching individual and group classes at Levine in the spring of 2017.
One of his favorite aspects about Levine is, “being part of a dynamic collection of talented and creative music faculty and being able teach in a place that nurtured my own musical development. I feel I have come full circle, now being able to nurture and guide students of my own. I love their enthusiasm and curiosity and look forward to putting our collective creative energies together!”
Teaching Philosophy and Approach
Jonathan’s approach to teaching is to offer patient, holistic instruction, with an emphasis on teaching students the critical thinking and creative skills to unlock their own musical personality as they master the technique at each level. Adults should never feel they’re too old to start learning the cello…or come back to it!
Hobbies
Reading, hiking, traveling, composing and arranging music, learning new languages and spending time with his two sons.