Jonathan Trout studied the violin at the Royal Manchester College of Music before taking a music degree at the University of York. He then worked as a freelance violinist with orchestras including the Ulster Orchestra, the New Sadlers Wells Opera and the Birmingham Royal Ballet before taking up a post in 1980 as Course Director in Music at a Nottinghamshire community school. While he was there he wrote and directed a number of youth music projects in conjunction with the drama department before leaving in the late 1980s to concentrate on conducting.

Since 1987 Jonathan has been Principal Conductor of the Derby Concert Orchestra. He is also founder of the Derby Chamber Orchestra. Both have enabled him to develop an extensive repertoire and to gain invaluable experience building orchestras. In 1996 Jonathan attended the International Conductors' Institute in Bulgaria, working with the Varna State Philharmonic and in 1997 visited Romania conducting the Sinfonia Bucharest in the celebrated Athenaeum Hall in Bucharest. In 1997 Jonathan was invited to conduct The London Schubert Players on a tour of England and Wales including an appearance at the Gregynog Festival.

In January 2000 - also with the LSP - he gave the UK première of Constantin Silvestri's own string orchestra arrangement of his Second String Quartet at the Purcell Room on London’s South Bank. In December 2000, Jonathan conducted the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic's 'Ensemble Ten Ten' and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir in the first performance of 'Flea Circus' by Gary Carpenter. This programme also included Menotti's opera Amahl and the Night Visitors.

The larger repertoire has included the Fifth and Sixth symphonies of Mahler in Derby Cathedral, Shostakovich's 5th an 10th symphonies and the Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony. In 2002 Jonathan combined with Derby Bach Choir in an acclaimed performance of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. He enjoys directing contemporary music conducting the Berg Violin Concerto in July 2000 and Judith Weir's 'Natural History' in March 2001. In May 2003 Jonathan conducted the Violin Concerto by Philip Glass with soloist Roy Theaker the leader of the Orquestra do Algarve.

Choral collaborations have included the Mozart and Brahms requiems and the Symphony of Psalms by Stravinsky.

In 2003 Jonathan made his debut with the London Soloists Chamber Orchestra at St John’s, Smith Square in London. The programme included the first UK performance of the Symphonie Concertante for two pianos and string orchestra by the Romanian piano virtuoso and composer Dinu Lipatti.

Other recent first performances include the Concertino for Bassoon and String Orchestra by David Beck (2003) with the Lancashire Chamber Orchestra and featuring Graham Salvage the Principal Bassoon of the Halle Orchestra.

2003 also saw a large range of French music including both piano concertos by Ravel with pianist Grace Huang and Debussy’s ‘La Mer’ .

Jonathan particularly enjoys conducting Stravinsky and has performed the Rite of Spring and Petrouchka in the Derbyshire area.

Jonathan conducts regularly at the Benslow Music Trust in Hitchin and since 2004 has conducted the Chamber Orchestra at the Charterhouse Summer School of Music.School.

Future engagements include:

Mahler's 'Resurrection' Symphony in 2009 with The Derby Bach Choir in Derby Cathedral

Projects with the Middlewich Concert Orchestra and the Chesterfield Symphony Orchestra.

Jonathan enjoys an eclectic repertoire and is available for all types of engagements.

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