ORGAN

David Jonies is Director of Music and Organist at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, where he plays the three organs by Flentrop and Casavant for Archdiocesan and Parish liturgies and in concert. Before his appointment in Chicago, he held positions at St. Joseph & St. Patrick Parish in Escanaba (Michigan), Westminster Cathedral in London, and the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace.

A native of Germany, he holds Bachelor's and Master of Music degrees from the Hochschule für Musik in Würzburg and the Performer's Certificate from the Royal Academy of Music in London. His teachers have included James O'Donnell, David Titterington, Günther Kaunzinger, and Gerhard Weinberger.

Described as a “gem" (The American Organist) and an "impeccable" performer (Bonner Generalanzeiger), organist David enjoys an excellent reputation among his colleagues as a concert organist and church musician. Known for his wide range of repertoire, David was awarded the 1st prize at the 1999 Landau International Organ Competition.

International concert appearances include Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Westminster Abbey and the London Handel Festival in the U. K., the Pusan Bach Festival in South Korea, the Cathedral at Budejovice in the Czech Republic, the Bluval Music Festival and the Cathedrals of Bamberg, Mainz, Passau and Trier in Germany.

In the United States, he has performed at Chicago's Orchestra Hall with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, at Marcus Center with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, at the Pine Mountain Music Festival (Michigan), Piccolo Spoleto Festival (South Carolina), at the Cathedrals of Seattle (Washington), Helena (Montana), Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), Hartford (Connecticut), Sioux City (Iowa), Houston (Texas) and recitals and workshops for American Guild of Organists Chapters and Dioceses around the Midwest. He has been a featured artist for national conventions of the Organ Historical Society and the National Association for Pastoral Musicians.

TRUMPET

Chicago trumpeter, Ryan Berndt, is described by Gramophone Magazine as “versatile, superb, and committed” (Christian Hoskins), known for his chamber, baroque, and new music interpretations.

After eleven seasons with the Gaudete Brass Quintet, Ryan has emerged into the freelance and studio scene as a recording artist for Netflix and Amazon Prime, most notably on American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally, starring Al Pacino and Meadow Williams. He has performed, toured, and recorded with numerous ensembles, including Lyric Opera of Chicago, Silk Road Ensemble, Regis Philbin Big Band, Thoroughly Modern Millie (National Tour), The Zohn Collective, and the Gaudete Brass Quintet.

He has performed internationally alongside trumpeter James Morrison at the Sydney Opera House, Australia, and the Isao Satoshi in Kurashiki, Japan. In the US, he has performed in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Symphony Space, Merkin Hall (NYC), Symphony Center, Lyric Opera House, Ravinia Festival, and Pritzker Pavillion (Chicago). Outside of classical music, he has toured with the National cast for the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie and with the Regis Philbin Big Band.

Ryan has been recognized for his performances on baroque trumpet with numerous ensembles around the country, including Tempesta di Mare, Opus 327, and Bella Voce. In contrast, as an advocate for new music has led to his involvement in commissioning and performing over 170 world premieres. In the spring of 2019, Ryan joined forces with the esteemed new music ensemble, The Zohn Collective, to premiere and record a new work by John Liberatore.

Ryan has taught trumpet at the University of Notre Dame and St. Mary’s College in South Bend, IN, and is currently the founder of the Naperville Trumpet Academy. Mr. Berndt has given concerts and masterclasses around the country at some of the most renowned educational institutions, including Manhattan School of Music, Colburn Conservatory of Music, Eastman School of Music, and The Juilliard School. Ryan is a recording artist for Cedille Records, a Schilke Artist, and an Ambassador for Denis Wick.

Ryan is a graduate of the Chicago College of Performing Arts Music Conservatory, where he earned an Artist Diploma in Orchestral Studies. He also earned a Master of Music in Performance and Literature from the University of Notre Dame and a Bachelor of Music (Music Education & Trumpet Performance, double major) from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, MN. Ryan studied extensively with Mark Ridenour (Assistant Principal Trumpet, Chicago Symphony) and Dale White (Professor or trumpet College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University).