Jonathon Heyward

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Jonathon Heyward
Heyward at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra on September 22, 2023
Born1992
Education
Occupation
  • Conductor
Organizations
Websitejonathonheyward.com

Jonathon Heyward (born 1992 in Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.) is an American conductor and cellist. He is currently chief conductor of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra,[1] and music director of the Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center.[2]

Biography[edit]

Heyward grew up in West Ashley, South Carolina, in a family with no exposure to classical music.[3] his father lived in Harlem, and his mother had parents from Russia and Yugoslavia. He was first trained as a cellist, studying with Timothy O'Malley,[4] and chamber musician. His first public conducting opportunity took place in 2009 as part of Chamber Music Charleston's Mozart In The South Festival Youth Orchestra. [5]

Heyward studied conducting at the Boston Conservatory with Andrew Altenbach, and then was assistant conductor for both the conservatory's opera department and the Boston Opera Collaborative, where he worked on productions of Puccini's La Bohème, Mozart's Die Zauberflöte and Britten's The Rape of Lucretia.[6] He completed post-graduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Sian Edwards in 2016.[7]

Heyward was assistant conductor at the Hampstead Garden Opera Company from 2013. He won the 2015 International Besançon Competition for Young Conductors.[8] He became assistant conductor of The Hallé in 2016, and served as music director of The Hallé Youth Orchestra during that period.[3] He first conducted at The Proms in August 2021.[9]

Heyward at Stadttheater Minden on March 3, 2022, announcing that the following concert was dedicated to the victimed of the Invasion of Ukraine

Heyward became chief conductor of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie in 2021.[7] He is scheduled to conclude his tenure with the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie at the close of the 2023-2024 season.[10]

In March 2022, Heyward first guest-conducted the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. He returned as guest conductor in April 2022 for a charity concert for Ukraine. In July 2022, the orchestra announced the appointment of Heyward as its next music director, effective with the 2023/24 season, with an initial contract of five years.[11][12] Heyward is the first conductor of colour to be named music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.[1] In May 2023, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts announced the appointment of Heyward as the next music director of the orchestra formerly affiliated with the Mostly Mozart Festival, which was scheduled to undergo a name change from 2024 onwards as part of its 'Summer for the City' festival.[13][14] In January 2024, Lincoln Center announced the new name of the former Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra as the Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center.[2]

In October 2023, Heyward was named to Time magazine's list of Next Generation Leaders. As of October 2023, Heyward is the youngest music director of a major orchestra in the United States.[15]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Javier C. Hernández (July 21, 2022). "Baltimore Symphony's New Conductor Breaks a Racial Barrier". The New York Times. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Javier C. Hernández (February 5, 2024). "Goodbye Mostly Mozart, Hello Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center". The New York Times. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Alumni Spotlight / Jonathon Heyward". Royal Academy of Music. June 27, 2019. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  4. ^ Parker, Adam (September 9, 2016). "Five Questions: Jonathon Heyward: From West Ashley to England, young conductor's career on the rise". Post and Courier. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  5. ^ "A Classical Circus for Kids | CharlestonToday". Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  6. ^ "Jonathon Heyward". Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. 2019. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Jonathon Heyward / Chefdirigent" (in German). Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie. October 5, 2018. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  8. ^ "Dirigent Jonathon Heyward im Interview / "Corona und Black Lives Matter / lassen uns mehr nachdenken"" (in German). BR. June 2, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  9. ^ Willson, Flora (August 8, 2021). "Prom 10: NYO/Benedetti/Heyward review – guts, virtuosity … and kazoos". The Guardian. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  10. ^ Victoria Looseleaf (August 8, 2023). "Before Taking Up His Baltimore Post, Conductor Jonathon Heyward Returns to L.A." San Francisco Classical Voice. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  11. ^ "Jonathon Heyward is Named Music Director of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra" (Press release). Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. July 21, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  12. ^ Michael Andor Brodeur (July 21, 2022). "Baltimore Symphony Orchestra names Jonathon Heyward music director". washington Post. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  13. ^ "Conductor Jonathon Heyward Named Next Renée and Robert Belfer Music Director of Lincoln Center's Summer Orchestra" (Press release). Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. May 31, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  14. ^ Javier C. Hernández (May 31, 2023). "Lincoln Center Names Conductor for Reimagined Mostly Mozart Orchestra". The New York Times. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  15. ^ Zornosa, Laura (October 5, 2023). "The Conductor on a Mission to Make Classical Music for Everyone". Time. Retrieved October 26, 2023.

External links[edit]

Cultural offices
Preceded by Chief Conductor, Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie
2021–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent
Preceded by
Louis Langrée (Music Director, Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra)
 Music Director, Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center
2023–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent
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