Double bassist Jonathan Borden is a member of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra bass section, a position he has held since 2014. Jonathan received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Juilliard School that same year as a scholarship student of Albert Laszlo. During his studies, Jonathan particularly enjoyed performing chamber music, and had the opportunities to learn from notable musicians such as Sylvia Rosenberg and Steven Doane. Since joining the BPO, Jonathan has also performed with the Breckenridge Music Festival Orchestra and with the Caroga Lake Chamber Festival, where he can often be heard transposing cello parts to the double bass. Prior to joining the BPO, Jonathan has performed with the Aspen Chamber Orchestra, the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, and the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra in Sapporo, Japan.


Beyond his regular duties performing with the orchestra, Jonathan participates in various committees within the orchestra, including the education, marketing, and artistic committees, in order to work towards expanding the orchestra’s audience and maintaining the relevancy of the arts within the city of Buffalo. He is also currently serving as a musician member on the BPO Board of Trustees.


Jonathan grew up in Ridgefield, Connecticut, and found his passion for the double bass while studying with Joseph Russo and Kurt Muroki at the Bowdoin International Music Festival. Other than music, his interests include photography, website design, curling, tennis, table tennis, and making weird sounds with digital synthesizers.