Jonathan Barnhart, Music Director

Jonathan Barnhart, Music Director and Conductor of the Dedham Choral Society

JONATHAN BARNHART, Music Director and Conductor, received the M.Mus. from New England Conservatory of Music and B.A. from Dickinson College. He has studied choral conducting with Janet McGhee and Lorna Cooke deVaron, organ with James David Christie, and voice with Susan Clickner and Grace Hunter.

As a vocal soloist Mr. Barnhart has appeared with numerous organizations including Alea III, Boston Camerata, Cantata Singers, Ensemble Abendmusik, Musica Viva, and the Handel and Haydn Society, performing under the baton of such internationally renowned conductors as Christopher Hogwood, John Nelson, Andrew Parrot and Harry Christophers. He has been praised by the Boston Globe for his “superb musicianship” (Stravinsky, Threni). Notably, Mr. Barnhart appeared as a soloist with the Handel & Haydn Society in Haydn’s Orfeo, conducted by Sir Roger Norrington, and Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with Grant Llewellyn. His recently completed tenure of 31 years as a member of the Handel & Haydn professional ensemble ranks as one of the organization’s lengthiest.

During Mr. Barnhart’s 25-year tenure with the Dedham Choral Society, the ensemble has been critically noted for its “solid vocal heft,” “unanimous blend and wide dynamic compass,” and the programming as “intelligently thought-out.” He has led DCS in the local premieres of such major works as Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man, Peteris Vasks’ Dona nobis pacem, Alexander Gretchaninov’s Liturgia Domestica, and This Sacred Ground, by American composer David Diamond.  Mr. Barnhart has also led DCS in three concert tours of Europe, performing in Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Assisi, Rome, Riga, Tallinn and St. Petersburg.

Mr. Barnhart is Organist and Choir Director of First Parish, Unitarian Universalist in Harvard Square, Cambridge, and formerly Organist and Choir Director of Congregation Mishkan Tefila in Chestnut Hill. Professional affiliations include the American Guild of Organists and the American Choral Directors Association. He has taught on the music faculties of Commonwealth School, Milton Academy, Boston College and the New England Conservatory.  Mr. Barnhart’s editions of choral and organ music are published by ECS Publishing (Mozart, Thompson), Galaxy Music (Vaughan Williams), and Thorpe Music (Gretchaninov, Thompson, and Skryabin).