San Francisco  Academy Orchestra

Since moving to California 30 years ago, British-born harpsichordist Jonathan Salzedo has become a popular collaborator with leading Bay Area orchestras (Jubilate, San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Academy Orchestra, Monterey Symphony), choruses (Soli Deo Gloria, California Bach Society, Coro Hispano) and ensembles (Whole Noyse, Santa Cruz Chamber Players, Momsemble). With his wife Marion Rubinstein, he co-directs the Albany Consort, now in its 37th year, which tackles the entire spectrum of baroque music from duos to opera. He performs new music (Richard Worn Ensemble, Latin American Chamber Music Society) and works with innovative soloists (Karen Bentley, Viviana Guzman) creating varied programs using the harpsichord in new contexts (tango, new age). Once a maker of instruments, Jonathan still enjoys the challenges of moving harpsichords (generally single-handedly) and tuning them (he is an expert on early tuning systems). Jonathan has two grownup children who are both fine musicians. In his spare time, he sings at Congregation Etz Chayim, Palo Alto, teaches Alexander Technique, and runs a software consulting business.

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Jonathan first took up harpsichord while a mathematics student at Oxford, England. Prior to that he had been an active and occasionally prize-winning pianist though his youth. After graduating, he intended to study harpsichord seriously with someone really famous, but ended up learning most of what he knows from careful listening and from working with terrific soloists.