Rush is deeply committed to the music of both contemporary and historical Black composers, and champions programs that highlight and celebrate their cultural legacy, from the works of William Grant Still, Florence Price, and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor to premieres by today’s powerful voices such as Carlos Simon, Jessie Montgomery, and James Lee III. As well as the traditional classical canon, Rush welcomes creative powerhouses from other genres to the orchestral stage, and has worked with the likes of Jon Batiste, Cypress Hill, Leslie Odom Jr, Wordsmith, Ledisi, Big Freedia, Darin Atwater, and Karen Clark Sheard.
Rush was named Assistant Conductor, and was later promoted to Associate Conductor, of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra from 2020 to 2023. At Baltimore Symphony, he curated the orchestra’s inaugural Gospel Fest and served as Artistic Director of the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras. As Artistic Director, Rush led the ensemble on its first-ever international tour through Europe, showcasing their talents at renowned venues such as Dvořák Hall in Prague.
Recording highlights include the world premiere of Carlos Simon’s brea(d)th with Minnesota Orchestra, released on Decca Classics in 2023. He recently also conducted the recording of Simon’s Monuments, released as an installation throughout the city of Washington, DC in January 2026, as well as the Louisiana Philharmonic for Big Freedia’s album Live at the Orpheum Theatre, released in 2024.
His academic accomplishments include a Bachelor of Music Education degree from The Ohio State University and a Master of Music degree in Orchestral Conducting from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. Jonathan’s Mentors and teachers of conducting are Joseph Young, Mei-Ann Chen, and Marin Alsop.
