Dr. Jonathan Snyder
Executive Director
Jonathan Snyder is an award-winning freelance horn player, instructor of horn at the College of Southern Nevada, and an instructor of theory and music appreciation at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He earned his doctorate (DMA) at UNLV under the direction of Professor Bill Bernatis and his Master of Music in Horn Performance at the University of California, Santa Barbara under Dr. Steven Gross. Jonathan received his Bachelor of Arts in Music in both Horn Performance and Music Composition at California Lutheran University.
He has performed with Sarah Brightman, Yoshiki, David Perrico, the Oregon Coast Music Festival, Topanga Symphony, Santa Barbara Master Chorale, Santa Maria Philharmonic, Colburn Wind Ensemble, Gold Coast Wind Ensemble, Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra, Desert Winds, and for various university ensembles. He has also played with Opera Las Vegas, Nevada Ballet Theater, Jazz Outreach Initiative, and was a founding member of the Red Rock Wind Quintet. He has performed at Hornclass in Prague and has toured with the Kirkkonummi Chamber Orchestra of Finland. Currently, Jonathan performs with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, Nevada Chamber Orchestra, Pentagogical Brass, and Vegas City Opera. In 2019, he released a CD which includes the first ever recording of Concerto for Horn and Orchestra by Lithuanian composer Balys Dvarionas. He can also be heard on Shea Arender’s 2022 release The King Symphonic with the Las Vegas Symphony Orchestra.
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In June 2022, Jonathan won first prize in the Charleston International Music Competition in the ages 30 and up category. In July 2022 he won second prize (no first prize awarded) in the MEDICI International Music Competition in the professional division. For both competitions, Jonathan performed Olivier Messiaen's “Appel Interstellaire” (Interstellar Call) from Des Canyons aux étoiles.
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As a composer, Jonathan was a recipient of the 2012-2013 Sherrill C. Corwin Metropolitan Theater Award for his composition “The Last Hope” for orchestra. He continues to compose arrangements for horn ensembles. His arrangements for horn ensembles have been performed in the Czech Republic and throughout the United States.