Jonathan Paul Cambry (b.1982) is a Haitian-American, classically trained pianist from the southside of Chicago. He has been playing piano since the age of 3, studying with David Andrews of the Suzuki-Orff School for 15 years. His other teachers included Mario delli Ponti, Joseph Schwartz, Sedmara Zakarian Rutstein, Sanford Margolis, William Goldenberg, Graham Scott, and Kuang-Hao Huang. He has posted over 50 music videos of himself playing the works of Beethoven, Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Liszt, Ravel and other composers. Jonathan Cambry is founder and currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the American Chamber Opera Company. This is an opera company that performs complete operas in English to make opera more accessible to music enthusiasts in the United States. Thanks to his YouTube popularity, he was invited to perform in a gallery opening in New York, performances in Svendborg-Denmark, Amsterdam, Malaysia, Italy, and all over the United States. Jonathan Cambry was also previously an accompanist at Ballet Chicago, a prominent ballet company in Chicago, IL.
In April of 2010, Jonathan Cambry debuted a new technology, an orchestra comprised of only live software instruments using Logic Pro 9. This was the first known performance of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Piano Concerto accompanied by a fully complete software orchestra that he developed and arranged. Performances in 2010 also included Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Tustin, Dana Point in California, the Mile Hi Church in Lakewood, CO, Chicago, IL, New York City, NY, University of Montana-Missoula, and other locations in the Midwest. While at the University of Montana, Cambry was invited to lecture a class of 120 students in the business program to discuss how to promote yourself in the music world using online resources. One of Jonathan Cambry’s major goals in classical piano is to make it more accessible to younger individuals using technology. Collaborations have included rappers, string players, and opera singers. Cambry has also performed at historic landmarks in Chicago including the Art Institute of Chicago, Adler Planetarium, Harold Washing Public Library, The Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Willis Tower, United Airlines Building, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Fulton Hall and Mendel Hall at the University of Chicago.
In 2010, he also received Honorable Mention in the Franz Liszt International Competition in Los Angeles.
In 2011 he performed at DeSales Auditorium in Minnesota which he wanted to do to as a benefit to Haiti. In 2012, he performed at all of the locations in the Keys to the City Piano Festival that was created by the city of Chicago. Additional performances include Ida Noyes Hall and Fulton Hall at the University of Chicago. That year, Cambry also performed a number of works at the Make Music Chicago Festival.
After founding the American Chamber Opera company, Jonathan Cambry has made appearances on NBC, WGN, and other networks.
Jonathan Cambry is now devoting his time to teaching students, preparing for International Competitions, and running the American Chamber Opera Company which has four large productions each year.