Jonathan Vinocour was appointed Principal Viola of the San Francisco Symphony in 2009 having previously served as Principal Viola of the Saint Louis Symphony and Guest Principal of the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig. Mr. Vinocour has appeared as soloist with the San Francisco Symphony, the Saint Louis Symphony and the New World Symphony where he was recently a featured artist of their Viola Visions Festival alongside Tabea Zimmerman, Kim Kashkashian, Roberto Diaz, and Cynthia Phelps.
A sought-after chamber musician, he is a regular guest of festivals such as the Seattle Chamber Music Society, La Jolla SummerFest, Marlboro, Bridgehampton, Salt Bay Festivals and Chamberfest Cleveland. Chamber music partners have included Yefim Bronfman, Yo-Yo Ma, Jean-Yves Thibaudet and James Ehnes among others. He also performs frequently on the chamber music series of the San Francisco Symphony and as a recitalist and chamber musician on concert series around the country.
Vinocour graduated from Princeton University with a degree in chemistry and from the New England Conservatory where he studied with Kim Kashkashian. A dedicated teacher, he serves on the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music as well as the Aspen Music Festival and School and is a frequent coach at the New World Symphony. Vinocour plays on a 1784 Lorenzo Storioni viola on loan from the San Francisco Symphony.