Concerts

Appointed by Maestro Paavo Järvi to the position of Associate Principal and Eb Clarinet of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in 2004, Mr. Gunn then served as Principal Clarinet from 2011 to 2016 before joining the faculty at the Butler School of Music. Prior to joining the Cincinnati Symphony, he was the Principal Clarinetist of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and has performed as Guest Principal Clarinet with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on multiple occasions as well as playing with the New York Philharmonic and the Pittsburgh and Colorado Symphony Orchestras.

Mr. Gunn has participated in numerous music festivals including Bard, Tanglewood, Aspen, St. Bart's, Telluride Jazz Celebration, and Ashlawn-Highland Opera Company and is the Principal Clarinetist of the Sunflower Music Festival. As a soloist, he has appeared with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, the Wheeling Symphony and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and in August 2016, Mr. Gunn will be featured at the International Clarinet Association’s ClarinetFest performing the Copland Clarinet Concerto. As a chamber musician Jonathan is active around the United States, has performed as a member of Concert:Nova, and has played regularly on the Linton Chamber Music Series in Cincinnati.

Committed to the education of the next generation of clarinetists, Mr. Gunn gives masterclasses and recitals around the country, and has served on the faculties of the Buffet-Crampon Summer Academy, the Aria International Summer Academy and the National Youth Orchestra of the USA. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Texas, he served on the faculties of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Indiana-Purdue University Fort Wayne, Goshen College, Andrews University and Seton Hill University.

Born in Sheffield, England, Mr. Gunn started his musical career playing violin and piano and began studying the clarinet after moving to the United States at age eleven. He received a Bachelor of Music from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University and a Master of Music from the Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University. Jonathan is married to Jennifer Gunn, who plays piccolo and flute with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Gunn is a D’Addario Artist and Musician Advisor, a Buffet Group USA Performing Artist and plays exclusively on Buffet-Crampon clarinets.