Education
Biography
Performer/composer/bandleader/teacher, Jonathan Freilich has worked across the New Orleans music landscape for 36 years. In that time he has collaborated with most of the notable New Orleans musicians that co-exist in this period. As well as this he has arranged or composed music from film, advertising, as well as many artists including U2 and Hal Willner, and the Basque icon, Fermin Muguruza. He has toured extensively with a number of projects. He has also produced 6 albums and recorded on dozens of others.
As well as many works for chamber and orchestral ensembles he has composed and produced 4 operas, and many electro-acoustic pieces for many different types of media and other presentation situations. He leads 3 of his own ensembles which include a large experimental big band, The Naked Orchestra, a small improvisational performance group, and the innovative New Orleans Klezmer All Stars. In these and many others he performs on guitar, playing a range of vernacular and dance musics from this continent and other traditions.
Freilich was born in Philadelphia but was raised, and had almost all formative education, in England.
His perspective on the teaching of music is integrative, open, highly collaborative, and looks towards innovation, while simultaneously honoring all the detectable lines of musical thinking handed down and alive in our present from musical minds throughout human history. His concerns as a composer are primarily focused meaning and communication.