Conductors of the Worcester Youth Orchestras
Jonathan Edward Brennand
Jonathan Edward Brennand
Artistic Director, Worcester Youth Orchestras
Music Director & Conductor, Worcester Youth Symphony Orchestra & Sinfonia
Director, Worcester Youth Baroque Orchestra
Executive Director, Worcester Youth Orchestras
Born and raised in Middlesex, England, Jonathan Brennand's conducting has been praised by the Cape Cod Times for its "precision and vitality."
In August 2013 he was awarded the WISE Foundation's Conductor of the Year Award for his music direction and conducting of Die Fledermaus at College Light Opera Company, which the Cape Cod Time described as "dynamic" and full of "technical prowess". Jonathan has been a member of College Light Opera Company for the past nine seasons, starting as a violinist in the orchestra and then as Associate Conductor. In 2010 he was appointed a Principal Conductor and Music Director, conducting three productions every season. At College Light Opera he has garnered much praise from critics on his "commendable music direction" (Barnstable Patriot) and "inspired" (Cape Cod Times) interpretations of European and American operetta as well as classic American Musical Theater. In 2010, he was awarded a grant from the Victor Herbert Foundation to restore the entire score of the composer's comic opera Naughty Marietta.
He enters his third year at the Worcester Youth Orchestras, serving as WYO Artistic Director and Conductor of the Worcester Youth Symphony Orchestra. He also oversees the Preparatory Division and Orchestras. In three years he has grown the Worcester Youth Orchestras from one ensemble to three, founding the Worcester Youth Baroque Orchestra for the 2014 - 2015 season.
In addition he is founding Director and Conductor of the Pioneer Valley Symphony Youth Orchestra, and enters his second season with the orchestra in September 2014. In demand as a guest conductor and clinician he has conducted various MMEA festival orchestras, led performances of Mahler 4 at SUNY Purchase and NYC Opera Center with the Route 9 Ensemble, the Commonwealth Lyric Opera and Lucky Ten Studios, Ip Piano School Annual Concerto Competition series, and most recently appeared with the Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra at the University of Hartford.
In May 2014, he was appointed Music Director & Conductor of the Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra after a year long audition process. He is the second conductor in the orchestra's 34-year history. The 90-member symphony performs 5 or more times in and around the Farmington Valley, including a popular June Lawn Pops concert at Miss Porter's School.
Prior study was an apprenticeship in Salzburg and Vienna under the tutelage of Heinz Ferlesch, BA in Music and History from Drew University and an MM in Orchestral Conducting from UMass Amherst.
Jonathan is a member of the Conductors Guild and League of American Orchestras and regularly attends national youth orchestra conferences. In addition, he serves on scholarship committees for the Greater Worcester Community Foundation.
For the past ten years he was mentored and supported by the late Avery Thompson Funkhouser, which is reflected in his success today.
Visit, www.jonathanbrennand.com, for more information.
Artistic Director, Worcester Youth Orchestras
Music Director & Conductor, Worcester Youth Symphony Orchestra & Sinfonia
Director, Worcester Youth Baroque Orchestra
Executive Director, Worcester Youth Orchestras
Born and raised in Middlesex, England, Jonathan Brennand's conducting has been praised by the Cape Cod Times for its "precision and vitality."
In August 2013 he was awarded the WISE Foundation's Conductor of the Year Award for his music direction and conducting of Die Fledermaus at College Light Opera Company, which the Cape Cod Time described as "dynamic" and full of "technical prowess". Jonathan has been a member of College Light Opera Company for the past nine seasons, starting as a violinist in the orchestra and then as Associate Conductor. In 2010 he was appointed a Principal Conductor and Music Director, conducting three productions every season. At College Light Opera he has garnered much praise from critics on his "commendable music direction" (Barnstable Patriot) and "inspired" (Cape Cod Times) interpretations of European and American operetta as well as classic American Musical Theater. In 2010, he was awarded a grant from the Victor Herbert Foundation to restore the entire score of the composer's comic opera Naughty Marietta.
He enters his third year at the Worcester Youth Orchestras, serving as WYO Artistic Director and Conductor of the Worcester Youth Symphony Orchestra. He also oversees the Preparatory Division and Orchestras. In three years he has grown the Worcester Youth Orchestras from one ensemble to three, founding the Worcester Youth Baroque Orchestra for the 2014 - 2015 season.
In addition he is founding Director and Conductor of the Pioneer Valley Symphony Youth Orchestra, and enters his second season with the orchestra in September 2014. In demand as a guest conductor and clinician he has conducted various MMEA festival orchestras, led performances of Mahler 4 at SUNY Purchase and NYC Opera Center with the Route 9 Ensemble, the Commonwealth Lyric Opera and Lucky Ten Studios, Ip Piano School Annual Concerto Competition series, and most recently appeared with the Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra at the University of Hartford.
In May 2014, he was appointed Music Director & Conductor of the Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra after a year long audition process. He is the second conductor in the orchestra's 34-year history. The 90-member symphony performs 5 or more times in and around the Farmington Valley, including a popular June Lawn Pops concert at Miss Porter's School.
Prior study was an apprenticeship in Salzburg and Vienna under the tutelage of Heinz Ferlesch, BA in Music and History from Drew University and an MM in Orchestral Conducting from UMass Amherst.
Jonathan is a member of the Conductors Guild and League of American Orchestras and regularly attends national youth orchestra conferences. In addition, he serves on scholarship committees for the Greater Worcester Community Foundation.
For the past ten years he was mentored and supported by the late Avery Thompson Funkhouser, which is reflected in his success today.
Visit, www.jonathanbrennand.com, for more information.
JACK CORBETT
Conductor, Worcester Youth Philharmonic
Conductor, Worcester Youth Philharmonic
Photo: Andy Weigl
Jack graduated from Algonquin Regional High School in Northborough, MA during the spring of 2010. Growing up in the Northborough Public School systems he was fortunate to have great music educators. His instrumental education began on the cello when he was in the third grade. While he was in middle school the string program was cut and so Jack began to play electric bass in the jazz band. He went on to play contrabass in both the orchestra and jazz bands at Algonquin.
He received his Bachelors of Music in Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. At UMass Jack played in the Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, chamber jazz ensembles, and the bass quartet. Jonathan Brennand was the Orchestra Teaching Assistant his freshman and sophomore year. Jack studied contrabass with Salvatore Macchia and conducting with James Patrick Miller and Teresa Cheung. He was a conductor at the UMass Conducting Summer Institute in 2013 and worked with James Patrick Miller, Frank Battisti, Tony Thornton, and Wayne Abercrombie. Student teaching placements include the Chandler Magnet Elementary School in Worcester, MA and Foxborough High School and Middle School. In Foxborough he worked with string students in grades 5-12 and conducted on five different concerts.
Jack and his brother are the third generation of their family to grow up in Northborough, MA. Although his grandfather graduated from Northborough High School, his grandmother and great grandmother were from Worcester. As a young boy and into high school, Jack and his family would frequently visit his great grandmother who lived on Lake Quinsigamond. His uncle still lives on the lake and his father’s office is in Worcester as well.
Jack is the K-5 general music teacher at the bilingual Barbieri Elementary School in Framingham, MA. It is a great honor for him to be joining the Worcester Youth Orchestras. He hopes to share his passion for music and learning with everyone involved in the organization. We are all looking forward to a great 2014-2015 seasons and are excited for the direction the organization is heading in!
He received his Bachelors of Music in Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. At UMass Jack played in the Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, chamber jazz ensembles, and the bass quartet. Jonathan Brennand was the Orchestra Teaching Assistant his freshman and sophomore year. Jack studied contrabass with Salvatore Macchia and conducting with James Patrick Miller and Teresa Cheung. He was a conductor at the UMass Conducting Summer Institute in 2013 and worked with James Patrick Miller, Frank Battisti, Tony Thornton, and Wayne Abercrombie. Student teaching placements include the Chandler Magnet Elementary School in Worcester, MA and Foxborough High School and Middle School. In Foxborough he worked with string students in grades 5-12 and conducted on five different concerts.
Jack and his brother are the third generation of their family to grow up in Northborough, MA. Although his grandfather graduated from Northborough High School, his grandmother and great grandmother were from Worcester. As a young boy and into high school, Jack and his family would frequently visit his great grandmother who lived on Lake Quinsigamond. His uncle still lives on the lake and his father’s office is in Worcester as well.
Jack is the K-5 general music teacher at the bilingual Barbieri Elementary School in Framingham, MA. It is a great honor for him to be joining the Worcester Youth Orchestras. He hopes to share his passion for music and learning with everyone involved in the organization. We are all looking forward to a great 2014-2015 seasons and are excited for the direction the organization is heading in!
Jonathan and Jack go over concert logistics during a WYO dress rehearsal. Photo: Andy Weigl
