Short and Medium Biographies
Short Biography
Jonathan Helton is an active solo recitalist and chamber musician appearing in concerts worldwide, including Chicago, Montreal, Vancouver, Beijing, Singapore, Bangkok, London, Paris, Taipei, Washington, DC, and New York. He has been featured on programs of the North American Saxophone Alliance, the World Saxophone Congress, the College Music Society, Wisconsin Composers’ Alliance, Chicago Consortium of Composers, and the New Music Chicago Festival. His performances have been heard on North Carolina Public Radio, on WFMT in Chicago, and in national radio syndication. He is featured on compact discs from Elf, Innova, Mark Records, and Music from Northwestern. From 1992 to 1999 Dr. Helton served on the faculty at Northwestern University. He is currently Professor of Saxophone at the University of Florida School of Music. Jonathan Helton is a Selmer Artist/Clinician, and a former President of the North American Saxophone Alliance.
Medium Biography
Concert saxophonist Jonathan Helton has been heard in performance throughout the United States, Canada, in Europe and the Far East, appearing with orchestras and wind ensembles, in recital, and in numerous chamber concerts. He has performed in Chicago, Montreal, Paris, London, Beijing, Singapore, Bangkok, Taipei, Washington, D.C., Miami, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal, Minneapolis, and New York City’s Lincoln Center. His performance credits include concerto appearances with the New Philharmonia of Riverside in New York City, the Winston-Salem (NC) Symphony, the Northwestern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the Center for New Music (Iowa), the University of Florida Wind Symphony, the University of Florida Symphony Orchestra, the Harper Symphony Orchestra, the United States Air Force Tactical Air Command Band, and the Twelfth and Fifteenth World Saxophone Congress Wind Orchestras. His orchestral experience includes performances with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, the Grant Park Symphony, the Lake Forest Symphony, the Charleston Symphony, the Savannah Symphony Orchestra, the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, the Winston-Salem Symphony, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. Helton is featured in solo and chamber music performances on compact discs from Centaur, Elf/Ludwig, Innova, Mark Records, and Music from Northwestern labels.
Dr. Helton holds degrees from the North Carolina School of the Arts and Northwestern University. His teachers include James Houlik, Frederick Hemke, Daniel Deffayet, and Jean-Marie Londeix. From 1992 to 1999 he served on the faculty at Northwestern University teaching saxophone and chamber music, and held an administrative position Coordinating the Wind and Percussion Programs. Helton is currently Professor of Saxophone at the University of Florida School of Music. Jonathan Helton is a Selmer Artist/Clinician, and a former President of the North American Saxophone Alliance.