Jason Thornton

Jason Thornton is one of Britain ‘s finest young conductors. As Music Director of Bath’s resident professional orchestra Bath Philharmonia, he is artistically responsible for one of the largest and most respected professional organisations of its type in the South West of England. With this orchestra he became the world’s youngest conductor to have performed all Mahler’s symphonic output.

He has also worked with many of Britain's finest professional orchestras, youth orchestras and choral ensembles including the Royal Philharmonic, City of London Sinfonia, London Mozart Players, Halle Orchestra, English Northern Philharmonia, Royal Academy Symphony Orchestra, National Schools Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Philharmonia Chorus and Bournemouth Symphony Chorus.

Abroad he has worked with the Kaposvar Symphony Orchestra (Hungary), Beijing Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, North West Symphony Orchestra (USA), East Oregon Symphony Orchestra, Cyprus Chamber Orchestra, and Jykvaskyla Sinfonia (Finland).

He regularly works with Festivals and venues throughout Britain, including nine performances at the Bath International Music Festival since 1997, Last Night of the Kenwood House Proms with City of London Sinfonia and recently his debut at the Hall for Cornwall with the London Mozart Players and Natalie Clein. Recent performances have included collaborations with Nicola Benedetti, Carlos Bonnell, Claire Booth, Isobel Buchannan, Joseph Calleja, Natalie Clein, Michael Collins, Sarah Connolly, Lynne Dawson, Peter Donohoe, Fodens Brass Band, Tim Hugh, Sumi Jo, Tasmin Little, Joanna Macgregor, Rosa Mannion, Jennifer Pike, Sir Willard White, the Jette Parker young artists from the Royal Opera House and the jazz singer Clare Teal. Jason has also worked extensively with actors including Timothy West, Jenny Agutter, Chris Harris and Stephanie Cole. In 2009 he conducted the first Chinese performances of Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius in Beijing and Shanghai, and in 2010 conducted a Chopin Piano Concerto Cycle with Peter Donohoe, Britten Serenade with James Gilchrist, Belshazzar’s Feast with Sir Willard White, and made his conducting debut in Hungary. Future plans for 2011 include performances with the Royal Philharmonic, National Schools Symphony Orchestra and Birmingham Philharmonic, as well as a busy season with Bath Phil. He is to perform Strauss Four Last Songs with Lisa Milne, Ravel’s Piano Concerto Cycle with Peter Donohoe, Elgar Cello Concerto with Tim Hugh and the Sibelius Violin Concerto with Ruth Palmer.