Jonathan Taylor Rush

Conductor

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Jonathan Taylor Rush, hailed as “a continually rising talent in the conducting world” by the Baltimore Sun, brings passion, unique interpretation, and a refreshing energy to the orchestral experience. Rooted in his musical upbringing within the church, Rush’s approach to conducting is imbued with elements of gospel and soul music.

Previous conducting highlights include debut performances with the likes of Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Sinfonietta, Nairobi Philharmonic, and many more including his opera debut with the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center.

The 2024/25 season includes performances with Nashville Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, North Carolina Symphony, Savannah Philharmonic, and Hartford Symphony. He is committed to the performances of living composers and has premiered works by James Lee III, Fernando Arroyo Lascurian and Carlos Simon. Rush is also a champion of the music of William Grant Sill, Florence Price and Samuel Coleridge Taylor.

Jonathan Taylor Rush: “Ring Shout” from Four Black American Dances | Carlos Simon © Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

As well as the traditional classical canon, Rush often welcomes creative powerhouses from other genres to the orchestral stage and has worked with the likes of Cypress Hill, Leslie Odom Jr, hip hop writer/performer Wordsmith, singer-songwriter Ledisi, rapper Freedia, Darin Atwater, and Karen Clark Sheard.

Rush was named Assistant Conductor, and was later promoted to Associate Conductor, of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra from 2020 to 2023. At Baltimore Symphony, he curated the orchestra’s inaugural Gospel Fest. While with the Baltimore Symphony, Rush also served as Artistic Director of the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras. As Artistic Director, Rush led the ensemble on its first-ever international tour through Europe, showcasing their talents at renowned venues such as Dvořák Hall in Prague.

His most recent release, on Decca Classics, is the world premiere recording of Carlos Simon’s brea(d)th. His academic accomplishments include a Bachelor of Music Education degree from The Ohio State University and a Master of Music degree in Orchestral Conducting from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. Jonathan’s Mentors and teachers of conducting are Joseph Young, Mei-Ann Chen, and Marin Alsop.