About Me

Jonathan is an accomplished musician, having performed with various orchestras, brass bands and concert bands performing high quality repertoire. He has turned his hand to a multitude of folk and historical instruments which he uses not only in his compositions but as a musician, performing live and also competing successfully in Northumbrian Piping competitions. Jonathan's debut solo EP was a series of folk melodies from traditional British Isles tunes or melodies written by Jonathan, played on Northumbrian Smallpipes, English Border Pipes, accordion and octave mandola and has gone on to release other works with similar instrumentation. His latest instrument acquisitions include a mandocello as an upgrade to the mandola which has also been used with sea shanty band the Jack Tars and on a recently-released CD with Alex Barrass, as well as a citole to play with Medieval music engagements.

https://jonathanpearsonmusic.org/home

Music

Experience

Instruments Played

Employment History & Experience

Self-employed - released 2 x EP and one CD

2026 (July) A Trip to Stocksfield - CD release with Alex Barrass
2026 (May) Richmond Mayfest busker and show performer.
2026 (April ongoing) De Mowbrey’s Musicke medieval musicians
2026 (Jan ongoing) volunteer musician for Beamish living history museum.
2025 December Arranged and Mixed the Christmas single “I saw three ships” for Jack Tars (played mandocello/hurdy gurdy & pipes)
2025 (September - December) Rockingham brass band trombone and euphonium performance support.
2025 (June ongoing) member of The Jack Tars, providing instrumental support on octave mandolin, mandocello, pipes and hurdy gurdy for gigs and recordings.
2025 (June) Invited back to support DMS (School project) Vermuyden Concert Band and Senior Brass group.
2025 (January-June) Performance support (Euphonium, octave mandola) for various music student projects.
2024 (and 2023) Volunteer Placements at Limitless Christian Festival (Production and Steward), Stafford Showground and Medieval Music in the Dales, Bolton Castle (Steward).
2024 Released first official music showcasing folk and medieval-related compositions and performances.
2024 Musical and creative support on Perseus Morgan album ‘From Newcastle to Portsmouth’ (octave mandola) and Felix Riley EP ‘Two Strangers’ (bass).
2024 Leeds Conservatoire Christian Union President.
2024 Leeds Conservatoire Student Ambassador - assorted duties and responsibilities.
2023/24 Support (Soundtrack, Octave Mandola and Bass Trombone) for some music student performances.
2023 Launched YouTube channel showcasing compositions.
2023 Deputised on Bass Trombone for Harrogate Symphony Orchestra.
2022/23 Projects - music for gaming sites collaborating with 2 designers.
2022-25 Leeds Conservatoire ensemble concerts e.g. Concert Band, Jazz Groups (trombone, euphonium).
Doncaster & Rotherham Music Service ensembles 2013-2022 & 2019-2022 respectively, including:
Beechfield Youth Orchestra 2016-2022
Vermuyden Concert Band 2015-2022 returning in subsequent years as a helper
Senior Brass 2016-2022
Thurcroft Welfare Band (brass band) 2019-2022
Rotherham Symphony Orchestra 2019-2022
Doncaster Youth Jazz Association
Jazz Orchestra 2019-2022
Swing Band & Stage Band 2017-2018
Music for Youth (Prom) event at Royal Albert Hall 13 Nov 2017
School Productions:
Grease (2017) bass guitar, trombone
Joseph (2018) bass guitar
Chicago (2019), Sister Act (2020) & Legally Blonde (2023) trombones
Addams Family (2022) trombones, percussion

Languages Spoken

Experience & Qualifications

General Experience

Jonathan Pearson is a composer specialising in composition and orchestration. With his first class degree in Film Music, Jonathan has valuable knowledge of scoring for all kinds of media applications, including film, television, animation and games. Whilst at the Conservatoire, Jonathan scored short films for independent filmmakers and created thematic scores for indie game developers. Jonathan prides himself on varied composition, crafting different textures and soundscapes for each. He enjoys working in large scale orchestral settings, using his experience playing in ensembles to drive realism and dynamic scores. Also, his collection of unusual instruments (see below) allow him to create a plethora of unexpected and diverse tracks, or weaving in electronic sounds to the traditional orchestra for added depth & interest.

Qualifications & Training

Leeds Conservatoire – September 2022 – July 2025
Degree subject – BA (Hons) Music (Film Music Composition) 1st
Hall Cross Academy 6th Form, Doncaster – September 2020 - July 2022
A Level Music A*
A Level Maths A*
A level Further Maths A
Hall Cross Academy, Doncaster – September 2018 – July 2020
GCSE English Literature 9
GCSE English language 9
GCSE Mathematics 9
GCSE Music 9
GCSE Geography 9
GCSE History 9
GCSE Chemistry 9
GCSE Physics 9
GCSE Biology 9

Other Information

Relevant Skills

See CV and elsewhere in this section

https://jonathanpearsonmusic.org/home
Awards:
May 2026 Open category 2nd prize and 1st prize in duet category with Alex Barrass at the Northumbrian Pipers Society competition at the Northumberland County Show
April 2026 Open category 1st prize Northumbrian Small Pipes, Open category 1st prize Border Pipes & 1st prize Northumbrian Small Pipes duet (with Alex Barrass) at Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering
July 2025 Open category 1st prize Northumbrian Small Pipes, 2nd Prize Open category Border Pipes and Sean McGuire Trophy (most outstanding & innovative performance in traditional music) & 1st prize Northumbrian Small Pipes pairs (with Alex Barrass) at Rothbury Traditional Music Festival
April 2025 Open category 3rd Prize Award for Northumbrian Pipes, 2nd Prize Border Pipes at Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering
July 2024 Intermediate Award first prize for Northumbrian Small Pipes at Rothbury Traditional Music Festival (plus First Prize for piping pairs with Alex Barrass)
March 2024 Novice & Intermediate 1st Prize Awards, Northumbrian Small Pipes Morpeth Gathering
Bass Trombone Grade 8
Keyboard Grade 7
Music Theory, Saxophone & Classical Guitar Grade 5
William Appleby Music Education Trust, Doncaster awards:
The Moray Hughes Music Award 2022 & The Louise Marsh Award 2022

Interests & Hobbies

Medieval instruments/music, folk instruments/music, Lego & model railway enthusiast, church volunteer (worship band - guitar, bass, keys, drums, musical direction & production), English Heritage member.

Miscellaneous Information

Registered partially sighted