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Jonathan Sokol (b. 1981) was introduced to music at a young age. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, and the son of two music educators, he began piano study at six and trombone at nine. Although most of his musical upbringing was spent with these two instruments, he began composing in his high school years.
Two scholarships encouraged Sokol to further compositional studies at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, where he received his Bachelor of Music Degree and was a student of the College's composer-in-residence, Loris Chobanian. Equally dividing his focus between composition and performance, he also continued his lessons in piano and trombone at B-W, later making time to study the organ, the violin and several early music instruments.
Sokol has also studied with Michael Gandolfi at New England Conservatory , where he received his Masters degree with Honors and Distinction in Performance, and Sydney Hodkinson at the Aspen Music Festival. He currently lives in Bloomington, Indiana, where he is a Doctoral Fellow at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music studying with Sven-David Sandstrom.
Continuing his interest in trombone performance, Sokol has appeared at numerous venues in the greater Cleveland, Chicago and Boston areas, with such groups as the Socially Awkward Composers (as the guest composer/performer) and the Leftovers. He is now pursuing a Doctoral Minor in trombone and studies with Carl Lenthe.
Sokol's music has been performed by ensembles and soloists throughout the country, including the NEC Symphony and Philharmonia, the Cleveland Chamber Symphony and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project ; and has received international performances in both the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.
Future projects include an orchestral work, a saxophone/piano piece for Stacy Wilson and etudes for solo Trombone.