Singaporean violinist Jonathan Ong maintains a dynamic career as violinist of the internationally acclaimed Verona Quartet. Hailed for his “charming and infectious” playing (South China Morning Post) and performances “possessed of perfection” (Oregon Arts Watch), Ong is a laureate of numerous national and international competitions including the Concert Artists Guild, Wigmore Hall, Melbourne, Osaka, Chesapeake and Fischoff competitions, as well as the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Young Artist Competition and Singapore National Violin Competition.
Ong has appeared in major venues across Europe, Asia and North America such as Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, Philharmonie de Paris and Melbourne Recital Hall. His recent engagements include performances at celebrated festivals and institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Chamber Music Northwest, Bravo! Vail and Shanghai Symphony Hall. In the 24-25 season, he was the featured soloist with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra for Singapore’s 60th National Day Concert.
As a founding member of the Verona Quartet, Jonathan was awarded the coveted Cleveland Quartet Award by Chamber Music America as well as the Fischoff’s Ann Divine Educator Award. He can be heard on the Quartet’s critically acclaimed albums including Diffusion (Azica, 2021), SHATTER (Bright Shiny Things, 2023) and Ligeti: The Complete String Quartets (Dynamic Records, 2023). Their second album, “SHATTER”, debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Classical Billboard Charts, and was lauded for its “transportive quality” and “captivating playing” (BBC Music).
Ong serves as Assistant Professor of Chamber Music at the Oberlin College & Conservatory; he is also Co-Director of the CREDO Music Summer Institute, the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance and directs the Advanced Quartet Program at the Singapore Chamber Music Festival. He counts among his influential mentors Donald Weilerstein, Alexander Kerr, Paul Kantor, Lynn Blakeslee and Lynette Lim. Jonathan plays on an Antoine Nedelec and Ryan Soltis violin circa 2024.
