These concerts are the North Carolina Symphony debut for Jonathan Taylor Rush.

Jonathan Taylor Rush is an accomplished and visionary conductor hailing from Windsor, Connecticut. Rooted in his musical upbringing within the church, his approach to conducting is imbued with elements of gospel and soul music. His musical journey is a testament to the transformative power of music and its ability to inspire joy and hope in the hearts of others. 

Rush was named Assistant Conductor and later promoted to Associate Conductor with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, serving from 2020 to 2023. He curated the orchestra's inaugural Gospel Fest, featuring gospel artist Karen Clark Sheard, and served as Artistic Director of the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras. As Artistic Director, he led the ensemble on its first-ever international tour through Europe, showcasing their talents at venues such as Dvořák Hall in Prague. 

Rush has made debuts with ensembles including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Sinfonietta, Nairobi Philharmonic, and many more including his opera debut with the Washington National Opera at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. His academic accomplishments include a bachelor’s degree in music education from The Ohio State University and a master’s degree in orchestral conducting from the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University. His mentors and teachers of conducting are Joseph Young, Mei-Ann Chen, and Marin Alsop.