{{Short description|American conductor}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = Jonathon Heyward | image = Jonathon Heyward at BSO Gala (53206471837) (cropped).jpg | image_upright = 1.3 | caption = Heyward at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra on September 22, 2023 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|07|26}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | education = {{plainlist| * Boston Conservatory * Royal Academy of Music }} | occupation = {{plainlist| * Conductor }} | organization = {{plainlist| * The Hallé * Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie * Baltimore Symphony Orchestra }} | awards = | website = {{URL|https://jonathonheyward.com/}} }}
'''Jonathon Heyward''' (born July 26, 1992){{Citation needed|date=January 2026}} is an American conductor and cellist. He is music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra<ref name="Hernandez">{{cite news |author=Hernández |first=Javier C. |date=July 21, 2022 |title=Baltimore Symphony's New Conductor Breaks a Racial Barrier |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/21/arts/music/jonathon-heyward-baltimore-symphony-orchestra.html |access-date=July 4, 2023 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> and music director of the Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center.<ref name="NYT20240205">{{cite news |author=Hernández |first=Javier C. |date=February 5, 2024 |title=Goodbye Mostly Mozart, Hello Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/05/arts/music/mostly-mozart-renamed-lincoln-center.html |accessdate=February 6, 2024 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>
==Biography== Heyward was born in Charleston, South Carolina,<ref>{{Cite journal |date=November-December 2022 |title=Appointments, Awards, & News |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=159851802&site=eds-live&scope=site |journal=American Record Guide |volume=85 |issue=6 |page=2 |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 5, 2026 |via=EBSCO}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Jonathon Heyward, Conductor |url=https://imgartists.com/roster/jonathon-heyward/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716143805/https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7kn4mvzdrxdrnyc/AADpXpMpjvWHvWW4XgF6cCs6a?dl=0 |archive-date=July 16, 2024 |access-date=January 5, 2026 |website=IMG Artists}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Biography |url=https://jonathonheyward.com/about#bio |access-date=January 5, 2026 |website=Jonathon Heyward}}</ref> in 1992.<ref name="a055">{{cite web |author=Looseleaf |first=Victoria |date=August 8, 2023 |title=Before Taking Up His Baltimore Post, Conductor Jonathon Heyward Returns to L.A. |url=https://www.sfcv.org/articles/artist-spotlight/taking-his-baltimore-post-conductor-jonathon-heyward-returns-la |access-date=August 10, 2023 |work=San Francisco Classical Voice}}</ref> Heyward grew up in West Ashley, South Carolina,<ref name=parker /> and had no exposure to classical music at home.<ref name="g855">{{cite web | last=Levin | first=Annie | title=Conducting Phenom Jonathon Heyward Makes His North American Debut Tour | website=Observer | date=April 1, 2022 | url=https://observer.com/2022/04/conducting-phenom-jonathan-heyward-makes-his-north-american-debut-tour/ | access-date=January 4, 2026}}</ref><ref name="n210">{{cite web | last=Beaujon | first=Andrew | title=Conductor Jonathon Heyward on the Future of the BSO | website=Washingtonian - The website that Washington lives by. | date=January 9, 2024 | url=https://washingtonian.com/2024/01/09/conductor-jonathon-heyward-on-converse-sneakers-reality-tv-and-the-future-of-the-bso/ | access-date=January 4, 2026}}</ref> His father had lived in Harlem, and his mother's parents were from Russia and Yugoslavia. He first trained as a cellist, studying with Timothy O'Malley,<ref name=parker>{{Cite news |last=Parker |first=Adam |title=Five Questions: Jonathon Heyward: From West Ashley to England, young conductor's career on the rise |url=https://www.postandcourier.com/features/arts_and_travel/five-questions-jonathon-heyward-from-west-ashley-to-england-young-conductor-s-career-on-the/article_3e081dd0-690e-5917-b1b8-62bc8da7eb7e.html | date=September 9, 2016 |access-date=August 18, 2022 |website=Post and Courier |language=en}}</ref> and playing chamber music. His first public conducting opportunity took place in 2009 as part of Chamber Music Charleston's Mozart In The South Festival Youth Orchestra.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Classical Circus for Kids {{!}} CharlestonToday |url=https://www.charlestontoday.net/2009/09/08/a-classical-circus-for-kids/ |access-date=August 18, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref>
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''.<ref name="ASO">{{cite web | url = https://www.aso.org/artists/detail/jonathon-heyward | title = Jonathon Heyward | publisher = Atlanta Symphony Orchestra | date = 2019 | access-date = October 27, 2021}}</ref> He completed post-graduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Sian Edwards in 2016.
Heyward was assistant conductor at the Hampstead Garden Opera Company from 2013. He won the 2015 International Besançon Competition for Young Conductors.<ref name="BR">{{cite news | url = https://www.br-klassik.de/aktuell/news-kritik/jonathon-heyward-dirigent-interview-diversitaet-inklusion-zukunft-orchester-100.html | title = Dirigent Jonathon Heyward im Interview / "Corona und Black Lives Matter / lassen uns mehr nachdenken" | publisher = BR | date = June 2, 2021 | language = de | access-date = October 27, 2021}}</ref> He became assistant conductor of The Hallé in 2016 and served as music director of The Hallé Youth Orchestra during that period.<ref name="RAM">{{cite web | url = https://www.ram.ac.uk/news/jonathon-heyward-alumnus-profile | title = Alumni Spotlight / Jonathon Heyward | publisher = Royal Academy of Music | date = June 27, 2019 | access-date = October 27, 2021}}</ref> He first conducted at The Proms in August 2021.<ref name="Willson">{{cite news | last = Willson | first = Flora | url = https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/aug/08/prom-10-nyogb-nicola-benedetti-jonathon-heyward-review | title = Prom 10: NYO/Benedetti/Heyward review – guts, virtuosity … and kazoos | newspaper = The Guardian | date = August 8, 2021 | access-date = October 27, 2021}}</ref>
[[File:Jonathon Heyward, Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, Minden.jpg|thumb|Heyward at Stadttheater Minden on March 3, 2022, announcing that the following concert was dedicated to the victims of the invasion of Ukraine.]]
Heyward became chief conductor of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie in 2021. He concluded his tenure with the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie at the close of the 2023–2024 season.<ref name="a055"/>
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.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.bsomusic.org/about/press-releases/press-release/2020-21-press-releases/jonathon-heyward-is-named-music-director-of-baltimore-symphony-orchestra/ | title=Jonathon Heyward is Named Music Director of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra | publisher=Baltimore Symphony Orchestra | date=July 21, 2022 | access-date=July 4, 2023 | archive-date=July 22, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722214839/https://www.bsomusic.org/about/press-releases/press-release/2020-21-press-releases/jonathon-heyward-is-named-music-director-of-baltimore-symphony-orchestra/ | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Brodeur |first=Michael Andor |date=July 21, 2022 |title=Baltimore Symphony Orchestra names Jonathon Heyward music director |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/07/21/baltimore-symphony-jonathon-heyward/ |accessdate=July 4, 2023 |newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref> Heyward is the first conductor of color to be named music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.<ref name="Hernandez"/> In October 2025, the orchestra announced the extension of Heyward's contract as its music director through the 2030-2031 season.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.bsomusic.org/baltimore-symphony-orchestra-extends-jonathon-heyward-as-music-director-through-2031/ | title=Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Extends Jonathon Heyward as Music Director Through 2031 | publisher=Baltimore Symphony Orchestra | date=October 15, 2025 | access-date=October 16, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release | url=https://imgartists.com/news/baltimore-symphony-orchestra-extends-jonathon-heyward-as-music-director-through-2031/ | title=Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Extends Jonathon Heyward as Music Director Through 2031 | publisher=IMG Artists | date=October 15, 2025 | access-date=October 16, 2025}}</ref>
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,<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://pressroom.lincolncenter.org/press-releases/view/6476692c524caa7a39f8661d | title=Conductor Jonathon Heyward Named Next Renée and Robert Belfer Music Director of Lincoln Center's Summer Orchestra | publisher=Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts | date=May 31, 2023 | access-date=July 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Hernández |first=Javier C. |date=May 31, 2023 |title=Lincoln Center Names Conductor for Reimagined Mostly Mozart Orchestra |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/31/arts/music/jonathon-heyward-mostly-mozart-festival-orchestra.html |access-date=July 4, 2023 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> with the festival subsequently renamed as the "Summer for the City" festival and the orchestra renamed as the Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center.<ref name="NYT20240205"/> In January 2025, Lincoln Center announced the extension of Heyward's contract with the Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center through the summer 2029 season, with a change in his title to music director and artistic director of the orchestra, with immediate effect.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://pressroom.lincolncenter.org/press-releases/view/67815db7447ab02a67ef6fdc | title=Jonathon Heyward Renews Contract as Renée and Robert Belfer Music Director of the Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center Through 2029 | publisher=Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts | date=January 13, 2025 | access-date=January 14, 2025}}</ref>
In October 2023, ''Time'' named Heyward to its list of Next Generation Leaders.<ref name="time-5oct2023">{{cite magazine |last1=Zornosa |first1=Laura |title=The Conductor on a Mission to Make Classical Music for Everyone |url=https://time.com/collection/next-generation-leaders/6317276/jonathon-heyward/ |access-date=October 26, 2023 |magazine=Time |date=October 5, 2023}}</ref> Heyward and his British-born wife Millie Aylward have a daughter, born in 2024.<ref>{{cite news |author=Hernández |first=Javier C. |date=July 16, 2024 |title=The 'Converse Conductor' Fighting Elitism in Classical Music |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/16/arts/music/the-converse-conductor-fighting-elitism-in-classical-music.html |access-date=January 14, 2025 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|https://jonathonheyward.com/}} * {{discogs artist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-culture}} {{succession box | title=Chief Conductor, Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie | before=Yves Abel | years=2021–2024 | after=Jonathan Bloxham}} {{succession box | title=Music Director and Artistic Director, Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center | before=Louis Langrée (Music Director, Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra) | years=2023–2025 (Music Director),<br />2025–present (Music Director and Artistic Director) | after=incumbent}} {{s-end}}
{{Baltimore Symphony conductors}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heyward, Jonathon}} Category:1992 births Category:Living people Category:American male conductors (music) Category:21st-century American conductors (music) Category:Boston Conservatory at Berklee alumni Category:21st-century American male musicians Category:Classical musicians from South Carolina Category:African-American conductors (music) Category:21st-century African-American musicians Category:American people of Russian descent Category:American people of Yugoslav descent Category:Music directors of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra