JONATHAN BONNY

BIO

 

Jonathan Bonny (he/they) is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and theater maker. He trained as a classical percussionist at the conservatories of Ghent, Helsinki, and The Hague. Today, they feel most at home in interdisciplinary performing arts, where their love for pop and electronic (club) music also finds space. As a composer, Jonathan creates work inspired by (queer) activism, blending influences from the classical music tradition with pop and electronic music. Jonathan’s work seeks a more socially just world, amplifying marginalized voices which make up the real majority.

 

Since 2021, Jonathan has been developing as an independent (music theater) maker, a journey that also led to the creation of the alter ego JÓRMA, supported by the Northern Netherlands’ development program, Station Noord. In JÓRMA’s gatherings, Jonathan’s original compositions are performed in an interdisciplinary theatrical form. In addition to their work as a creator and performer, Jonathan has been a music design lecturer in the Music & Technology department at the Utrecht School of the Arts since 2023.

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Jonathan has performed with HIIIT (previously known as Slagwerk Den Haag), Asko|Schönberg, Blindman[Drums], Ensemble KLANG, Club Guy&Roni, the Flemish Opera, Orkater, and the Dutch National Opera. Compositions by Jonathan have been played by ensembles such as the Spectra Ensemble, Diamanda La Berge Dramm, Lunapark, Casco Phil, and DeCompagnie. Jonathan has composed music for productions by Silbersee, Theater Sonnevanck, Boost Producties, PeerGroup, MoON Productions, Nic Bruckman, SuckerPunch Collective, The Midnight Specials, Emma Van Elshout & Just van Bommel (LIKEMINDS & Frascati), Dunja Jocic (Theater Osnabrück), Goggles (Theater Transparant) and the VPRO podcast Lopendebandwerk.

 

Jonathan directed the productions THEY/THEM (2023), BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY, RIGHT? (2023), NOORDERLICHT (2024), and Let’s Be Real (2024). They are currently working on the solo project YOU CHOOSE, YOU LOSE, which will premiere in January 2025.

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Nominations and Awards

- 2012 Second prize at the Yamaha Benelux Percussion Competition
- 2014 First prize at the Percussion Arts Society competition (vibraphone category)
- 2016 Performance of the winning composition (Stream for Marimba, Nikos Kokolakis) at the TROMP International Percussion Composition Competition
- 2018 Through The Valley (by Manuel Kiros Paolini, with music by Jonathan) won the Spritzl Audience Award
- 2020 Nomination for the Keep an Eye award

- 2020-2023 Station Noord talent development trajectory for new makers
- 2021 Nomination of 'introvert' for the Rotterdam Track of the Year award
- 2022 Finalist in the Sena Performers Grote Prijs van Rotterdam competition (singer-songwriter category)

- 2023 Winner 'Nieuw Geluid' open call
- 2024 Fringe at Best award for NOORDERLICHT

- 2024-2025 Rizoom Proeftuin talent development trajectory for new music makers

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