Jon Gathje ~ Cantori Conductor

A graduate of the University of NE-Lincoln, Jon will begin his fourth year of teaching K-12 Vocal Music in the Yutan Public Schools this fall.  His duties include teaching four choirs, directing all musical productions, and directing the one-act play.  His choirs have consistently received superior rankings and have received invitations to perform at many venues including two performances at the Nebraska State Capital.  Jon is currently finishing his Masters degree in music education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he has also completed Level One training in Orff Schulwerk.   Jon has studied conducting with Peter Eklund, Therees Hibbard, and Rhonda Fuelberth.  He has also conducted in master classes with Paul Salumunovich, Sharon Hansen, and Angie Broeker.    

Jon is also active in the musical theater community as well.  Jon has been seen performing in past productions as Motel in Fiddler on the Roof and Doody in Grease (Pinewood Bowl-Lincoln).  Other roles Jon has played include the Groom in Hotel C’est L’amour (working closely with Tony-nominated composer Michael John LaChiusa in the premier staged reading) and Tobias Ragg in TADA’s (Lincoln) production of Sweeney Todd.  In 2004, Jon worked with Tony-winning composer Adam Guettel to create a lecture recital of his recent works.

This past summer Jon was the musical director for CATS at Pinewood Bowl-Lincoln, one of the first amateur productions in the Midwest.  He also recently concluded musical direction of Crazy for You at Pinewood Bowl.

Jon is a member of the American Choral Director’s Association, MENC-The National Association for Music Education, and the Educational Theater Association.