cast bio graphies
DIRECTION
JONATHON HEYWARD CONDUCTOR
Jonathon Heyward is one of the most exciting conductors on the international scene today. He is Music Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Renée and Robert Belfer Music Director of the Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center. He previously completed a four-year tenure as Chief Conductor of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie.
Recent guest conducting highlights in the United Kingdom include debuts and re-invitations with the London Philharmonic, London Symphony, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra Ireland, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Academy of Music, and Scottish Chamber Orchestra. In continental Europe this season, Jonathon debuted with NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester and Danish National Symphony. Other highlights include collaborations with the Castilla y León Symphony, Galicia Symphony and Brussels Philharmonic.
In the USA, Jonathon conducts prominent orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, the Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Seattle, Dallas, and St Louis symphonies, and the Minnesota Orchestra. In 2021, he debuted at Wolf Trap with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, and in 2023 he debuted with the Chicago Symphony at the Ravinia Festival.
Jonathon made his Royal Opera House debut with Hannah Kendall’ s Knife of Dawn. He has also conducted Kurt Weill’ s Lost in the Stars with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and the world premiere of Giorgio Battistelli’ s opera, Wake, for the Birmingham Opera Company.
Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Jonathon studied conducting at the Boston Conservatory of Music and London’ s Royal Academy of Music. In 2023, he was named a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music; an honour reserved for Academy alumni.
13