Jonathan Timms was born in Oxford in 1985. He studied music at the University of York before doing a Masters degree in conducting. He was principal conductor of the York Sinfonietta from 2006 - 2007 and a frequent guest conductor with the Chimera Ensemble, a prestigious contemporary music group at the university. In July 2007 he conducted the first performance of Antigone Variations, an important new work for large chamber orchestra by the composer Helen Roe. In 2008 he was a participant on the internationally acclaimed London Conducting Workshop at the Royal College of Music, where amongst other works, he conducted Bartok’s Divertimento for String Orchestra, Mozart’s Symphony no. 41 and Mahler’s Symphony no. 5. He has also conducted the Arnold Schoenberg Chamber Orchestra, University of York Symphony Orchestra and the New Professionals. Jonathan now works as a freelance conductor, double bass player and teacher.