Jon Deak

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Jon Deak was born in Hammond, Indiana on April 27, 1943. He grew up in an artistic environment. His father and mother were sculptors and painters; he himself has worked in sculpture. Deak plays bass for the New York Philharmonic, started Young Composing classes all over, and composes many pieces himself.

He was born in Indiana, but then moved to New York City to find a job that payed him enough money. Before this, he went to many colleges including Oberlin, University of Illinois, and he was a Fulbright scholar in Italy for a year. At Oberlin, he met his first wife, Carol. They adopted a son named Alex, but they later divorced. He then married Jackie, a cellist and the Metropolitan Opera, and they had three kids called Nicky, Forrest, and Selena.

Now he is still continuing his job in New York City. He still lives with his three children from his second wife (the adopted son lives on his own now) and plans to retire from the NY Philharmonic soon. All three of his children are in high school.

Jon Deak is a well-known composer, and associate principal bassist and creative education associate with the New York Philharmonic. He is also a member of the Symphony Orchestra Institute’s Board of Advisors. Jon attended Oberlin College, holds a bachelor’s degree from the Juilliard School, and a master’s degree from the University of Illinois. As a Fulbright Scholar, he completed his graduate study at the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome.

His compositions have been performed at music festivals worldwide and by such institutions as the New York Philharmonic, National, Minnesota, Cincinnati, Seattle, New Jersey, Atlanta and Colorado Symphonies, Rochester Philharmonic and major chamber groups around the country.

Recent commissions include a string quartet concerto for the Manchester Quartet performed by both the National and New Jersey Symphonies and a work for the 150th anniversary of the New York Philharmonic. His Concerto for Contrabass and Orchestra ("Jack and the Beanstalk") was nominated for the 1990 Pulitzer Prize by the National Symphony.

Jon Deak has become particularly noted for his successes in bringing new music to young people. His interest in children is such that he now teaches a composition class in the public school that his own children attend in New York City. An avid wilderness mountaineer, he has led climbing expeditions into the Canadian Rockies, Alaska and the Himalayas. He was Chairman of the New York Philharmonic Artistic Advisory Committee, which helped select Kurt Masur as the Philharmonic's Music Director. He also participated in Leonard Bernstein's historic Freiheitskonzert (freedom concert), in what was then East Berlin on Christmas Day, 1989, an event which he regards as one of the musical highlights of his life.

In 1999, Mr Deak's work with students at P.S. 199 in New York City led to a performance of their "Colorful Variations" by the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall. A recording of the performance and an article by the students who wrote the piece can be accessed on the New York Philharmonic's Kidzone magazine: "Front Row, Center!" (Also, for more info on the New York Philharmonic's Kidzone, or the New York Philharmonic in general go to: The New York Philharmonic.)

http://soi.org/harmony/archive/14/Children_Creativity_Deak.pdf - click on the link to read a book written by Jon Deak - Children’s Creativity and the Symphony Orchestra: Can They Be Brought Together?

Jon Deak, Associate Principal Bassist and Creative Education Associate of the New York Philharmonic, is also a prominent composer. He was educated at Oberlin College, The Juilliard School, the University of Illinois, and as a Fulbright Scholar, at the Conservatory of Santa Cecilia in Rome. His training includes work in the visual arts, and he was active in the “performance art” movement in New York’s SoHo. He now teaches a composition class in the New York City public schools that his own children attend. In September 2000, Mr. Deak was chosen to lead a youth concert at Carnegie Hall in honor of Isaac Stern’s 80th birthday, in which he served as host, conductor, and contrabass soloist.

Mr. Deak’s compositions have been performed at music festivals worldwide and by such institutions as the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago, National, Minnesota, Cincinnati, Seattle, New Jersey, Atlanta, Colorado, and many other symphony orchestras and chamber groups. His discography includes recent releases on Centaur, CRI, Innova, and Cabrillo records.

Mr. Deak recently completed a successful three-year appointment as Composer-In-Residence with the Colorado Symphony under the Meet The Composer Residencies Program, which included affiliations with the Colorado Children’s Chorale and Denver Public Schools. Among the programs he inaugurated in connection with his Denver residency are: the “Source Project,” a new music series in the Denver Performing Arts Complex, which brought together a stunning display of creativity by Colorado composers; and a restructuring of the pre-concert lecture format into a pre-concert “event” that includes drama and live music. Mr. Deak became a familiar figure around Denver as he moved from school to school teaching composition and creativity to young people of all ages and backgrounds.

Mr. Deak regularly participates in fundraising events to aid symphony orchestras, and has been an outspoken environmental advocate. An avid wilderness mountaineer, he has led climbing expeditions into the Canadian Rockies, Alaska, and the Himalayas. He was chairman of the New York Philharmonic Artistic Advisory Committee which helped select Kurt Masur as the Philharmonic’s Music Director. He also participated in Leonard Bernstein’s historic Freiheitskonzert (Freedom Concert) in what was then East Berlin, on Christmas Day l989, an event he regards as one of the musical highlights of his life.

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