Jonathan Dobin, is a composer and arranger who has made a specialty of reconstructing and arranging music of the 17th and 18th century from fragmentary sources. His original compositions, arrangements and editions have been performed by many esteemed artists in the United States, Europe and Japan.
From 1982 through 1989, Mr. Dobin directed Muse-early music chamber ensemble and in 1986 and 1987 garnered New York City grants, along with choreographers Alan Tjaarda Jones and Patricia Rader for performances of pioneering reconstructions of Colonial and Federal period American music and dance in historic houses throughout the city. The ensemble was assembled again in 2010 garnering grants in 2011, 2013 and 2014.
His 1990 arrangement of music to John Gay's classic satire The Beggar's Opera, commissioned by the TenTen Players, and was praised by The New York Times for its overall musicality and convincing period style and the blend and effect of the part writing. It has been performed in its entirety by collegiate and professional theater ensembles throughout the United States since it's premiere. .
In addition to The Beggar's Opera, other theatrical ventures have included incidental music to James Keeler's 1982 production of Everyman at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, an original musical score to Susan Sternkopf's 1983 English-language interpretation of Moliere's The Would-Be Gentleman in New York City. He created period-style vocal and dance music reconstructions for Patricia Rader and Alice Standin's 1995 production of Santlow's Farewell, Alan Tjaarda Jone's 1997 production of Music and Dance from the Spanish Court, Luisa Meshakoff's 1998 presentation of Dances and Songs of Early 18th Century London and Alice Standin's 1998 entertainment To Please the Towne: Variety on the London State, 1660 - 1720, all performed at Lincoln Center's Library for the Performing Arts in New York in addition to pre-concert and incidental music to Sheridan's masterpiece The Rivals London's prestigious Harrow School.
Concert, film and celebratory compositions have included commissions by The Stonewall Chorale, New York, under the direction of Nancy Vang: 1997:- a contemporary setting of Jezus malusienki,a traditional Polish Carol, for choir and harp; 1998 - an exuberant setting of O Sing to the Lord A New Song, for antiphonal SATB choirs, organ, brass and tympani-(premiered at St. Peter's Church at CitiCorp and again under the baton of Abraham Kaplan at the prestigious Park Avenue Synagogue); 1999 - an original, spirited setting of - It Was A Lover And His Lass - for SATB a capella choir and in 2001 - an original setting of Infant Holy, Infant Lowly (Christmas Song) - for mixed chorus and harp, as well as editions/arrangements of works by Bach, Buxtehude and Brahms.. He composed incidental music for 3 short films by NewYork film maker Dean Bouler in 1999 - Lite Brite and The Card Sharp and in 2001 - Verminator. His Ditty in Memory of Jeff Roux, was performed in June, 2000 at Downtown Music Production's BENSON AIDS 10 concert in New York City.
Concert, film and celebratory compositions have included commissions by The Stonewall Chorale, New York, under the direction of Nancy Vang: 1997:- a contemporary setting of Jezus malusienki,a traditional Polish Carol, for choir and harp; 1998 - an exuberant setting of O Sing to the Lord A New Song, for antiphonal SATB choirs, organ, brass and tympani-(premiered at St. Peter's Church at CitiCorp and again under the baton of Abraham Kaplan at the prestigious Park Avenue Synagogue); 1999 - an original, spirited setting of - It Was A Lover And His Lass - for SATB a capella choir and in 2001 - an original setting of Infant Holy, Infant Lowly (Christmas Song) - for mixed chorus and harp, as well as editions/arrangements of works by Bach, Buxtehude and Brahms.. He composed incidental music for 3 short films by NewYork film maker Dean Bouler in 1999 - Lite Brite and The Card Sharp and in 2001 - Verminator. His Ditty in Memory of Jeff Roux, was performed in June, 2000 at Downtown Music Production's BENSON AIDS 10 concert in New York City.