Jonathan Rathbone
Jonathan Rathbone started his musical career as a chorister at Coventry Cathedral. He was a choral scholar at Christ's College Cambridge, where he read mathematics. He gained a second degree at the Royal Academy of Music where he studied composition with John Gardner. The Academy has since honoured him with an ARAM.
Having sung with St Bride's Choir, Fleet St and with the BBC Singers, Jonathan joined the Swingle Singers in 1984 and was musical director for the group for over a decade. During that time he turned from composition to arranging - creating the majority of their arrangements, both a cappella and with orchestra. He left the group in 1996 to spend more of his time writing and now spends his time arranging and orchestrating. Amongst others, he has orchestrated for Katherine Jenkins, the King's Singers, Sir Cliff Richard, Michael Ball, Stephen Cleobury and the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, and orchestras all over Europe.
He is in constant demand as a choir trainer, works with vocal ensembles all over Europe and adjudicates choral competitions. Closer to home, he directs several choirs in north London and is musical director at his local church. St Mary's Walthamstow. He teaches harmony and aural skills at MIddlesex University. The rest of the time, he continues to write, arrange and orchestrate for a wide range of groups.
