On December 20th, 2025, I gave my Lincoln Center debut with the Music Advancement Program’s Wind Ensemble at The Juilliard School!
To say that all these wonderful students, faculty, and staff have been so incredibly inspiring to me is an understatement. The love for our musicians on the stage from the parents, families, and friends in the audience made for such a life-changing and electrifying evening. Working with all these incredible students is not just the highest honor, but a real dream come true.
I cannot wait for more concerts to come in the future! Thank you to everyone involved in supporting their passion for music. The future of music is bright!
Program:
Rocketship! by Kevin Day
Sheltering Sky by John Mackey
Holst First Suite in Eb
Music from The Incredibles by Giacchino arr. Bocook
Thrilled to announce that I’ll be joining the faculty at The @juilliardschool as their new Wind Ensemble Conductor for the Music Advancement Program! Working with these incredible musicians from the program, meeting many of the great faculty and staff at Juilliard, and sharing so many great experiences already with them through music, has all been such a great reminder that music is not only transformative, but revolutionary in creating ensembles and experiences for students of all backgrounds that help to shape their futures towards their highest potential.
So excited to work with these incredible young musicians this fall, and thank you for all the support to everyone in my life who has motivated and encouraged me to get to this point. Looking forward to all the electrifying music we will soon perform together!
This is a dream come true. ✨
About the Music Advancement Program:
MAP is a tuition-free Saturday program that creates pathways and increases access to classical music education for intermediate to advanced young musicians from New York City’s five boroughs and the tristate area. MAP provides students with the skills, resources, and support to shape their unique artistic journey through high-quality musical training, fun, and the celebration of all identities. Through a rigorous curriculum, performance opportunities, and guidance from an accomplished faculty, MAP students develop the tools to fulfill their potential as artists, leaders, and global citizens. MAP is led by Artistic Director Anthony McGill and is generously supported through an endowed gift in memory of Carl K. Heyman.
For more information about the program and how you can get involved, please click through the link below:
https://www.juilliard.edu/.../music-advancement-program
The @njsymphony Youth Orchestra’s 2024–25 season came to a close with the Wind Ensemble, String Ensemble, and the Academy Orchestra performing in the evening portion of the Spring Showcase at George Washington Carver Elementary School in Newark. Our young musicians made waves this season as part of the Youth Orchestra, and we’re so proud of their accomplishments this season. Bravo to the ensembles and their coaches, to @jvconductor , Naomi Youngstein, and @diego.garcia.musica for conducting these brilliant performances, and to the graduating members of these perspective ensembles!
Applications for the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra’s 2025–26 season are now open, with auditions taking place later this spring. To learn more about the Youth Orchestra and to apply for the upcoming auditions, go to njsymphony.org/youthorchestra.
Evening performance ensembles and conductors:
Academy Orchestra | Diego García, conductor
String Ensemble | Naomi Youngstein, leader
Wind Ensemble | Jonathan Villegas, conductor
📱📸: Nisha Srinivas
Please note: These photos were taken during pre-concert rehearsals.
#njsymphony #youthorchestra #springshowcase #wegonext
I’d like to formally invite you all to my Masters Conducting Recital at the Peabody Conservatory in fulfillment of my Masters in Wind Conducting degree.
This event would not be possible without the guidance of my esteemed mentor, Dr. Harlan Parker, for whom I am forever grateful for our time together these past two years.
I’d also like to thank all the performers involved for lending their talents in making my recital a possibility, especially to the 20 OrchKids teachers/staff that make up half of the players in my ensemble. I am so forever grateful to you all!
This event is free to the public, and will be shared via livestream using the link down below:
https://peabody.jhu.edu/concert-event/student-recital-jonathan-villegas/
Direct Livestream Link:
/channel/Friedberg-Hall
Recital Setlist/Concert Order:
1. New Mexico March by John Phillip Sousa
2. Serenade in E-flat by Strauss
3. Sinfonietta for 10 winds and percussion by Ruth Gipps
4. Molly on the Shore by Percy Grainger
5. Sussex Mummers’ Christmas Carol by Percy Grainger
6. Country Gardens by Percy Grainger
7. Vientos y Tangos by Gandolfi
8. Dancing Fire by Kevin Day
Featured Performers:
Alexis Houchin
Eduardo Fajardo
Alejandra Santillanes
Maddy Strong
Heidi Schultz
Racquel Sparks
Parker Tremaine
Renzo DeCarlo
Dawson Williams
Alex Kropp
Kirby Pitchford
Miloš Tošić
Soumili Murkherjee
Liam Cunningham
Ray Winder
Jocelyn Abrahamzon
Qianyu Lin
Eric Yoon
Jake Landau
Keller Remington
Dylan McKay
Sarah Culp
Evan Kirschen
Dimitri Wang
Levi Myers
Samuel Hudman
Shelah Abate
Will Qian
Isaac Ermarth
Daniel Morrison
Taylor Esbenshade
Michael Jimenez
Meredith Fuller
Wiley Bair
Carson Atlas
Sam Keh
Jaylin Jackson
Maya Otterback
AJ Hudson
Cherri Chen
Eudora Tung
Hope to see you all there, in-person or virtually, for this monumental recital!
🎶October is the start of the 24-25 @njsymphony Youth Orchestra season.🎶 A BIG WELCOME BACK TO all of our students, parents, conductors, coaches & everyone that is a part of our YO family!
New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra, The Resident Youth Orchestra of the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University @montclair_cali , also serves as a direct link and training ground for The Cali Pathways Project to support students from historically underrepresented backgrounds as they prepare for careers in music and the arts. This season we are serving more students than ever. Between the Youth Orchestra and the Coach-in-Residence programs, The Symphony is now impacting the lives of over 1,000 students.
Diego García @diego.garcia.musica artistic director, The Anna P. Drago Chair
Terrence Thornhill @thorncell , associate conductor & curriculum specialist
Academy Orchestra | Diego García, conductor
Repertory Orchestra | Sue On, conductor
String Ensemble | Naomi Youngstein, leader
Training Ensemble | Terrence Thornhill, conductor
Wind Ensemble | Jonathan Villegas, leader
@njso_musicians@sueonmusic@jvconductor
Welcome to my Fall/Winter 2024 Performance Calendar!
Beyond grateful to be performing this year at the with the Peabody Wind Ensemble at the @peabodyinstitute , along with the @njsymphony Youth Orchestra, with @baltsymphony@bsoorchkids and with @dcs.different.drummers !
I’ll also be conducting the world premiere to @elenawinellcomposer ’s Opera, “The Little Red Hen” this November.
You definitely don’t want to miss any of these performances!
For more information, please feel free to contact me or browse my website at: jvconductor.com
or DM me for more information!
Hope to see many of you all this season!
Tomorrow, April 11th at 7:30pm EST in Griswold Hall, I’ll be making my conducting debut at Peabody Conservatory. Ahead of tomorrow’s concert, I wanted to share with you all two clips from our rehearsals. I’ll be conducting Persichetti’s Serenade No. 1 for Ten Wind Instruments, and the remainder of the concert will also be featuring works by McAlister, Jacob, and Mozart!
The players here have been absolutely inspiring each time we meet, and I’m so honored to call them my colleagues and friends. It’s been an incredibly life-changing year, and I cannot wait to share music with you all tomorrow!
If you can’t be there tomorrow in person, I’ll share a livestream link below.
Hope to see many of you there in-person or online! 🎶💖💫🎺
/channel/Griswold-Hall?fbclid=IwAR07nc8SWIYlPfhffdoqmpJeNBESYf4dtjI_m3OuhdMr3IzKucHgnWqOG7c_aem_AUOBli7Wo9x-EPgRU5GryU6KzDnLuFQsk4wKPyG61eIbHmu8p8wpFv7qqPMVwDHam1g
#conductor #conducting #musicworld #musicdaily #musiceducation #musician #musicschool #orchestra #conductorlife #orchestraconductor #stringorchestra #symphonyorchestra #windensemble #concertband #windband #musicmajor #brassplayer #woodwinds #percussion #banddirector #classicalmusic
Delighted to share some clips from our dress rehearsal last night with DC’s Different Drummers Symphonic Band for our upcoming concert this Saturday titled, “ECHOES: Reflections of our past and present, guiding us to the future.”
The entire staff and musicians at DCDD have all been so welcoming to me since assuming the position this past October. Since moving all the way from the west coast to the east coast in August, as a performer it’s always been imperative to find a chosen musical family that nurtures not just keeping music alive, but that also recognizes the healing that can be brought forth from our shared passions. DCDD has been the most caring musical family I could ever ask for, and their tenacity and talents give me so much to aspire for as we continue building our programs and creating more concerts to share with everyone.
Special shoutout to Anthony Conto for being such an incredible conductor and leader to our ensemble. I always learn so much from you every week, and your musicality inspires me every time we rehearse. Happy to be a part of your 10th season with DCDD as the Artistic Director, as I complete my very first as Assistant Artistic Director!
Hope to see many of my east coast friends in DC this weekend! Please enjoy a couple clips in the meantime!
I’ll be conducting “Huapango” by Jose Pablo Moncayo, on a piece that is so often considered the Mexican National Anthem, along with Omar Thomas’ “A Mother of a Revolution!” a piece which pays tribute and is a celebration to the bravery expressed from trans women everywhere, in particular to Masha P. Johnson. 🏳️🌈🇲🇽🎶💫
Works by Bach, Barber, Moncayo, Svanoe, Thomas, Ticheli, Wilson, and more!
If you are free on Saturday evening. Come join us! /events/echoes/
#conductor #conducting #musicworld #musicdaily #musiceducation #musician #musicschool #orchestra #conductorlife #orchestraconductor #stringorchestra #symphonyorchestra #windensemble #concertband #windband #musicmajor #brassplayer #woodwinds #percussion #banddirector #classicalmusic #marshapjohnson #huapango #mexicanmusic #mexicanmusicians #symphonicband #washingtondc
Delighted to officially announce that I have joined the Artistic Leadership Team at the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra, as their new Wind Leader for the Training Ensemble!
The Training Ensemble provides students from the Greater Newark area with the musical tools necessary for advancement into all levels of the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra. Many of these bright young players have just started on their instruments just a few months ago, and are already performing for 100s of audience members with such passion for music. I’m truly inspired every time I get to make music with all these absolutely brilliant musicians, staff, and students.
“Training Ensemble Winds is a brand-new ensemble for the 2023-24 season and provides preparatory level winds, brass and percussion students with the skills and support necessary for advancement into Repertory Orchestra and Academy Orchestra.”
For more information about the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra, or about the Training Ensemble, click this link:
/education/youth-orchestras
The future of music is bright!!! 🎼🎺🎷🩷
Happy to share that our Spring 2023 production of “The Magic Flute” at Portland State University School of Music & Theater (@psu_somt ) was just awarded 3rd Place in Division IV of their 2022-2023 Production Competition by the National Opera Association! @nationaloperaassociation
It was the most thrilling experience to serve as the Assistant Conductor & Principal Cellist to this incredible work and am so proud of the hard work from all the cast & crew, along with everyone on our production team for all those weeks leading up to our shows.
I still remember all our wonderful rehearsals with the orchestra alone, along with leading multiple vocal and staging rehearsals where everyone gave it their all every time, no matter how demanding, and am still so inspired today by those experiences whenever I’m on the podium.
Bravo everyone!!! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
/competitions/opera-production/2022-2023-winners.html
I’m delighted to share that I recently accepted the position of Wind Ensembles Director for Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s OrchKids program! @bsoorchkids I’ll be working closely at two different schools across Baltimore, each with their own Concert Band and a Symphonic Band at each site, for two combined large ensembles for our concerts that take place all across Baltimore, and onto the Meyerhoff stage in the spring!
I could not be more honored to work amongst some of Baltimore’s brightest and sweetest kids that are already such leaders in their communities, and are already making the future generation of musicians into great successes through their talents. I work amongst some of the most passionate and dedicated educators, full of beautiful diversity throughout our staff and students, and I could not be more thrilled for all the music we’ll continue making this year.
As a musician with a background where opportunities like this simply just weren’t available in my community growing up, it’s a blessing everyday to get to work with these students and watch them grow with confidence everyday as they inspire each other through their love for music.
Come check out more about our program!
/bio/?smid=6987
Reminiscing on some recent recordings, and came across this section that made me miss making incredible music with my friends in Portland back when I was conducting the Portland State University Chamber Winds.
“and the swallow” by Caroline Shaw arr. for Chamber Winds
#conductor #conducting #musicworld #musicdaily #musiceducation #musician #musicschool #orchestra #conductorlife #orchestraconductor #stringorchestra #symphonyorchestra #windensemble #concertband #windband #musicmajor #brassplayer #woodwinds #percussion #banddirector #classicalmusic
