A native New Yorker, Jonathan graduated from Harvard University where he studied with Leonard Bernstein and Leon Kirchner. He also attended the Juilliard School and the Aspen School of Music.

His orchestral compositions include a ballet (which he also conducted) for a benefit at Lincoln Center (October 1993); a Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Orchestra, which premiered in Stockholm in November 1996; and Six Piano Pieces, written in 1996, which was choreographed by Robert LaFosse. His orchestration of Francis Poulenc's Appolinaire Songs was performed at the Poulenc Centenary Celebration at the 92nd Street Y in October 1999.

After conducting three film score recordings with the Seattle Symphony, he made his conducting debut on the concert stage with the San Diego Symphony in 1991. Then in 1992, he served as assistant to Michael Tilson Thomas at the London Symphony Orchestra and L'Orchestre National de France. He has since conducted other prominent orchestras in the US and Europe.

Jonathan has also conducted the recording of scores for several of Hollywood's biggest films, including Michael Collins, Batman Forever, Interview With the Vampire, Alien 3, A Time To Kill, Heat, Batman and Robin, and Sphere. He most recently conducted the recording of the score for the Julie Taymor film, Titus.

Jonathan, Founder-Artistic Director-Conductor of the Eos Orchestra, has a special affinity for Aaron Copland. Like Copland before him, Jonathan is a prolific composer of music for theater and film. In fact, his conducting career emerged from his composition of scores for Hollywood films, and the operas Camera Obscura and The Mistake.

His latest opera, Blood on the Dining Room Floor, with text by Gertrude Stein, ran off-Broadway in June 2000. It received the Richard Rogers Production Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Jonathan was the musical director of the opening ceremony of the 1994 Gay Games in New York.