Julia Jones (conductor)
Encyclopedia
Julia Jones is an English conductor.
Jones grew up on the Isle of Man
, and attended the Chetham's School of Music
, where she studied piano, clarinet, and singing. She continued her music studies at the University of Bristol
, in conducting, piano, clarinet, and harpsichord, completing her B.A.
Honours degree in 1983. She later studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
, where her teachers included Paul Hamburger
and Gordon Black, and at the National Opera Studio
. Her other conducting teachers included Moshe Atzmon
, Miklós Erdélyi
, Ferenc Nagy, and Erwin Acel.
Jones moved to Germany in her 20's to take up a post as a repetiteur at the Oper Köln. She has also been a repetiteur at the Staatsoper Stuttgart
. From 1991 to 1995, she was a kapellmeisterin and assistant to GMD Alicja Mounk at the Ulm
Municipal Theatre. From 1995 to 1997, she held a first kapellmeisterin post at the Staatstheater Darmstadt. From 1998 to 2002, she was principal conductor of the Basel
Theatre/Basel Opera. Her original contract in Basel was through the summer of 2003, but she resigned in 2002 with immediate effect after reports of disputes with the musicians of the Sinfonieorchester Basel
.
In 2008, Jones became principal conductor of the Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa at the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos
. Jones made her first guest conducting appearance at the Royal Opera, London
, and her first professional guest conducting engagement in the UK, in January 2010, in the Covent Garden revival of Così fan tutte
.
Jones grew up on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
, and attended the Chetham's School of Music
Chetham's School of Music
Chetham's School of Music , familiarly known as "Chets", is a specialist independent co-educational music school, situated in Manchester city centre, in North West England. It was established in 1969, incorporating Chetham's Hospital School, founded as a charity school by Humphrey Chetham in 1653...
, where she studied piano, clarinet, and singing. She continued her music studies at the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
, in conducting, piano, clarinet, and harpsichord, completing her B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
Honours degree in 1983. She later studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama is an independent music and dramatic arts school which was founded in 1880 in London, England. Students can pursue courses in Music, Opera, Drama and Technical Theatre Arts.-History:...
, where her teachers included Paul Hamburger
Paul Hamburger
Paul Hamburger was a British pianist, accompanist, chamber musician, and scholar.Paul Hamburger was born in Vienna in 1920, and studied at the Vienna State Academy before emigrating to England in 1939...
and Gordon Black, and at the National Opera Studio
National Opera Studio
The National Opera Studio in London, England was established by the Arts Council as a link between the music colleges and the six main UK opera companies. It was resident at Morley College in Lambeth until 2003, when it gained use for the first time of its own dedicated premises in Chapel Yard,...
. Her other conducting teachers included Moshe Atzmon
Moshe Atzmon
Moshe Atzmon is a Hungarian-born Israeli conductor.He was born in Budapest, and at the age of thirteen he emigrated with his family to Tel Aviv, Israel. He started his musical career on the horn before going to London for further studies in conducting....
, Miklós Erdélyi
Miklós Erdélyi
Miklós Erdélyi was an award-winning Hungarian conductor.-Life:Miklós Erdélyi was born in Budapest and from 1946-1951 studied at the Budapest Franz Liszt Music Academy with John Ferencsik for conducting, Kókai Rezső for composition and Zalánfy Aladar for organ...
, Ferenc Nagy, and Erwin Acel.
Jones moved to Germany in her 20's to take up a post as a repetiteur at the Oper Köln. She has also been a repetiteur at the Staatsoper Stuttgart
Staatsoper Stuttgart
The Staatsoper Stuttgart is a German opera company based in Stuttgart, Germany.-History:The Stuttgart Staatsoper forms part of the Stuttgart State Theatre , which is a a three-branch-theatre complex and represents the largest theatre of its kind in Europe...
. From 1991 to 1995, she was a kapellmeisterin and assistant to GMD Alicja Mounk at the Ulm
Ulm
Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and...
Municipal Theatre. From 1995 to 1997, she held a first kapellmeisterin post at the Staatstheater Darmstadt. From 1998 to 2002, she was principal conductor of the Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
Theatre/Basel Opera. Her original contract in Basel was through the summer of 2003, but she resigned in 2002 with immediate effect after reports of disputes with the musicians of the Sinfonieorchester Basel
Sinfonieorchester Basel
The Sinfonieorchester Basel is a Swiss orchestra based in Basel. The orchestra performs symphony concerts at the Musiksaal, Basel. The orchestra also serves as the opera orchestra and ballet orchestra for the Theater Basel...
.
In 2008, Jones became principal conductor of the Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa at the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos
Teatro Nacional de São Carlos
The Teatro Nacional de São Carlos is an opera house in Lisbon, Portugal. It was opened on July 30, 1793 by Queen Maria I as a replacement for the Tejo Opera House, which was destroyed in the 1755 Lisbon earthquake...
. Jones made her first guest conducting appearance at the Royal Opera, London
Royal Opera, London
The Royal Opera is an opera company based in central London, resident at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Along with the English National Opera, it is one of the two principal opera companies in London. Founded in 1946 as the Covent Garden Opera Company, it was known by that title until 1968...
, and her first professional guest conducting engagement in the UK, in January 2010, in the Covent Garden revival of Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti K. 588, is an opera buffa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first performed in 1790. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte....
.