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Jonathan Butcher is Musical Director of the Westminster Philharmonic Orchestra, a role he has held for many years. He is also Musical Director of the Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra, Artistic Director of Surrey Opera (a position he has held for over 35 years), co-founder and Artistic Director of The North Downs Music Group, and Director of two choirs at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Jonathan has conducted at major London venues including the Royal Albert Hall, the Barbican, and the South Bank. His orchestral collaborations include the London Mozart Players, Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, English Symphony Orchestra, and New London Orchestra. He has worked with soloists of international standing including Dame Moira Lympany, Steven Isserlis, and Julian Lloyd Webber.

His international conducting experience spans performances in Holland, Malta, and Germany, including New Year Concerts in Ludwigshafen. He has conducted Family Concerts at Polesden Lacey since their inception and regularly directs open-air Promenade Concerts. He is also an accomplished opera director.

“Butcher guided his players through the complexities of this score with a sure hand.”

Christian began violin studies at the age of five with his mother, Lucy Croft, and continued at the Royal College of Music Junior Department. He graduated from the Royal College of Music in 1999, winning several prizes including the concerto award for performing The Lark Ascending with the RCM Sinfonietta.

As a freelance violinist he has performed with the London Mozart Players, St Paul’s Sinfonia, City Chamber Orchestra, and other ensembles. Christian was a founding member of Southbank Sinfonia (2002–03) and became Leader of Kent Sinfonia in December 2011.

He leads Surrey Opera, the Westminster Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Orchestral Society, and the Whitehall Orchestra, and has guest-led for the London Phoenix Orchestra, Trinity Orchestra Harrow, Epping Symphony Orchestra, and Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra.

In chamber music, Christian has been first violin with the Abraxas Ensemble since 2000, and was second violin with the Billroth Quartet from 2012 to 2017.