Jonathan Burns is a violist, violinist, and music educator based in Los Angeles, California. He has developed a multifaceted career as a performer, ranging from chamber music and orchestral playing to studio recording. He is also a dedicated teacher with a thoughtful and holistic approach to working with violin and viola students of all ages and ability levels.

Jonathan holds Bachelors and Masters Degrees from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, where he studied with Steve Wyrczynski and Ed Gazouleas. He currently enjoys an active career as a freelance violist and teacher in the Los Angeles area. Since 2022, he has been a teaching artist at Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (YOLA), the LA Phil’s community-based music education program. He loves working with passionate young musicians and maintains a thriving private studio of violin and viola students. His students have been accepted into the prestigious EMMI program at the crossroads school as well as the YOLA National Festival. At Indiana University, he studied with influential pedagogues Mimi Zweig and Brenda Brenner and has continued his Suzuki teacher training with Sherry Cadow.

 As an orchestral musician, Jonathan has been a member of the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra, the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, and was the assistant principal violist of the American Youth Symphony from 2021-2024. Additionally, he has performed with the New World Symphony, the Evansville Philharmonic, the Columbus Philharmonic, and the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra. 

An avid chamber musician, Jonathan studied chamber music with members of the Grammy winning Pacifica Quartet during his time at IU. In 2022, he performed as a soloist with the Indiana University Baroque Orchestra. He has participated in numerous summer festivals such as the National Orchestral Institute, where he led the viola section as principal and assistant principal viola. He has also performed in master classes for teachers such as Jeffery Irvine, Carol Rodland, Katherine Murdock and Daniel Foster.