When he was 12, watching the company perform And, he had the revelation that the human voice could redefine music. He started singing lessons with Vivienne Young at age 14, and moved to France with the company in 1975. He spent much of the following year in Tanzania meeting his father, chief of the Sukuma tribe, and exploring his African roots.
Over the next decade he served as composer, musical director and performer for most landmark Roy Hart Theatre productions. He began performing solo concerts for voice and piano in the 1980s, integrating contemporary, classical and African influences with his Roy Hart Theatre background (‘a spectacular display of vocal timbres and techniques’, The New York Times). He began teaching at Malerargues in 1978, and has been on the faculty of New York University’s Experimental Theatre Wing since 1988. He remains dedicated to the voice work and its evolution.
Jonathan is married to Rosemary Quinn and has two daughters: Mariana and Alice.
Contact:Â msoma@earthlink.net
CD: The wild is rising’ available on Amazon.com and in iTunes.
Photo © Johanna Lippmann