Jonathan Hess – Blue Heron

Praised for his “power and finesse” (Boston Classical Review) and “exacting milieus” (Boston Globe), percussionist Jonathan Hess is the principal timpanist for the Handel & Haydn Society (Boston), Teatro Nuovo (New York City), and Bach Akademie Charlotte. He also performs regularly with some of New England’s premier musical organizations, including the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, A Far Cry, Celebrity Series, Boston Baroque, Odyssey Opera, Aston Magna, and the Connecticut Early Music Festival. A founding member of the Boston Percussion Group and the soprano-percussion duo BeatSong, Jonathan is a keen advocate for new music and an active participant in expanding the percussion repertoire through inventive new commissions and collaborations. In addition to his versatility and command as a performer, Jonathan is also a dedicated and passionate educator, currently teaching percussion at the College of the Holy Cross. Jonathan is a graduate of St. Olaf College and the Boston Conservatory.

Blue Heron is engaged in the exploration of Renaissance and medieval vocal music, putting the study of original sources in the service of vivid live performance. Widely regarded as the finest ensemble of its type in North America, Blue Heron presents a subscription series in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a catalog of exceptional recordings is available on the Blue Heron label. The ensemble’s accolades include the 2018 Gramophone Classical Music Award for Early Music, making Blue Heron the first group from outside Europe to receive the award; the Noah Greenberg Award from the American Musicological Society; and the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik. Touring engagements have taken the group across the United States, Canada, England, and Europe.

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