Hailed as one of the “nation’s most promising composers” (American Composers Orchestra) and a writer of “highly atmospheric” (The Portland Press Herald) and “nimbly woven” (New Music Box) music, composer Jonathan Blumhofer was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1979. His first musical activities involved studying violin and piano, and he later took up the viola.

Jon’s compositions have received numerous awards and honors, including recognition from the American Composers Forum, the American Composers Orchestra, ASCAP, the Worcester (MA) Arts Council, the Longfellow International Composers Competition, Boston University, and the Boston Conservatory, among others. His compositions have been performed and recorded by a number of ensembles in the United States and Europe, including the Dreamsongs Project, the Worcester Chamber Music Society, the American Composers Orchestra, the Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra, Xanthos Ensemble, Juventas New Music Ensemble, and the Camerata Chicago.

As a writer and scholar, Jon’s research interests include American music (particularly the music of Leonard Bernstein and John Adams), 20th century music, and modern European history. Jon has taught at Clark University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, in Worcester, MA, online for the University of Phoenix, and at Gordon College in Wenham, MA.

Jon earned his doctorate from Boston University, his Master’s degree from the Boston Conservatory, and his bachelor’s degree from Wheaton College. His principal teachers include Edwin Childs, Dalit Warshaw, Jan Swafford, Joshua Fineberg, Richard Cornell, and Samuel Headrick. Jon also studied with Allain Gaussin and Andre Bon at the American Conservatory in Fontainebleau, and with Ladislav Kubik at the Czech-American Summer Music Institute in Prague.

An avid fan of Chicago Cubs baseball, food, travel, and wine, Jon lives with his wife and two children in Worcester, MA where, in addition to his aforementioned activities, he writes about music for the Arts Fuse and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

In 2003 Jonathan was specially commissioned to write Variations on Thaxted for Camerata Chicago’s inaugural season. It is being performed at the Sweetest Day Series 2016 concerts.