Jonathan Okseniuk
Jonathan Okseniuk’s love for conducting and classical music began before he could walk. Playing the violin became a passion when he first saw an orchestra at the age of 19 months. Jonathan started violin at the age of three, followed by conducting and piano lessons.
Jonathan made his violin debut in 2010, at the age of four performing at the Chandler Symphony Orchestra Holiday concert. In 2011, Jonathan conducted the Chamber Orchestra Kremlin. That same year, he was given his first opportunity by the Chandler Symphony to conduct a full orchestra.
Jonathan also performed his first concerto with the Suprima Chamber Orchestra. In 2012, Jonathan was invited as a guest to conduct on the Anderson Cooper talk show. After winning a conducting competition, Jonathan made his debut with the Houston Symphony in 2013. After his performance, he was invited to return to the podium the following night. Later that year, he was invited to be a guest conductor of the Scottsdale Philharmonic and was asked to return as guest conductor. In 2013, Jonathan conducted the Arizona Musicfest Festival Orchestra at one of the rehearsals.
In 2014 Jonathan performed at Bargemusic in New York City with the Suprima Orchestra. In 2015, on the violin, he performed with the Sun City Concert Band. That same year, Jonathan appeared on the TV show “Little Big Shots” conducting a string orchestra. Over the following five years, Jonathan has had the privilege to conduct and play violin solos with the St. Petersburg String Quartet, the Suprima Orchestra and the St. Petersburg International Music Academy. In February 2017, Jonathan made his debut as a soloist with the West Valley Symphony, and was asked to return to perform in 2019 and 2023.
In the fall of 2016 Jonathan became a member of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony and served as principal second violin. In 2017, he won first place in the Phoenix Youth Symphony's fifty-seventh annual Young Musicians Competition in the Upper String Category, Junior Division.
Jonathan won first place in the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Scholarship Competition. He became Concertmaster of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony for the 2017/2018 season. He took second place in the Arizona Music Teachers National Association Junior Competition.
More Accomplishments
In 2018 he won second place in the Phoenix Youth Symphony's Young Musicians Competition in the Upper String Category, Junior Division. Jonathan was a medalist in the Arizona State Music Teachers Association State Honors Recital, performing on the piano. He achieved first place in the Phoenix International Music Competition for Young Virtuoso, and also became a member of the Youth Symphony of the Southwest orchestra, serving as principal second violin. Jonathan took first place in the Junior Division of the American String Teachers Association Arizona State Solo Competition. He took first place in the Arizona MTNA Junior Strings Competition. In 2019, he placed first in the Arizona Musicfest Young Musicians Competition, Division I Strings. Jonathan was a recipient of the 2019 National Federation of Music Clubs Gwladys Comstock Award from the Idaho Federation of Music Clubs. In 2020, Jonathan took first place in the Phoenix Youth Symphony's Young Musicians Competition in the Upper String Category Junior Division. He was named the 2020 national winner of the Music Teachers National Association, Junior Performance String Competition. In 2021, he was named second place laureate in the Junior Division of the Sphinx Competition. He placed first in the Chandler Symphony Orchestra Youth Competition performing with the Chandler Symphony Orchestra both in 2021 and 2022. He also won the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition, and the Arizona Musicfest Young Musicians String, Harp, and Guitar Division II Competition. He was the first place winner of the National Federation of Music Clubs Stillman Kelley Award. Jonathan won first prize in the Junior Division of the 2022 Sphinx Competition, first in the Phoenix Youth Symphony Young Musicians Concerto Competition Senior Division, and the National Winner in the 2021–2022 MTNA Senior String Competition. He performed with the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra under Charles Latshaw. He performed with The Phoenix Symphony under Tito Munoz. Jonathan performed with The Memphis Symphony Orchestra under Robert Moody.
Sphinx engagement at the Mesa Art Center with Kebra Seyoun Charles senior winner. Jonathan placed first in the Senior Division of the 2023 Dorothy Vanek Youth Concerto Competition. He performed with the Arizona Musicfest Festival Orchestra under the baton of Robert Moody.
Jonathan also performed with the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra under Linus Lerner.
Jonathan participated in the 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024 Morningside Music Bridge program, the 2021 Heifetz International Music Institute and 2023 Chamber Music Northwest.
Jonathan was accepted into the Curtis Institute of Music in 2023 and is studying under Midori Goto. Over the past fourteen years, he has been a student of Jing Zeng. He has also worked with distinguished teachers including Jan Sloman, Miriam Fried, Noah Bendix-Balgley, Margaret Batjer, Peter Oundjian and William van der Sloot and with esteemed chamber groups including the Dover Quartet and members of the Manhattan Chamber Players. As of 2024, Jonathan works in collaboration with Allegro Music Consultants.
Jonathan has worked with many conductors including Jim Ross, Benoit Gauthier, Boris Vayner, Gary Lewis, Donald Schleicher, Robert Moody, Tito Muñoz, Robert Franz, Matthew Kasper, Micah Gleason, Linus Lerner, Charles Latshaw, and Cal Stewart Kellogg.