The Metropolitan Music & Gospel Arts Department
uscmet.music@usc.salvationarmy.org
The Salvation Army is famous for its brass bands, but it is also the world’s largest provider of music education.
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Nearly from the beginning of The Salvation Army, we have used music to proclaim the name of Jesus Christ. Our primary mission is worship and the winning of souls for His kingdom.
In Chicago, our Music & Gospel Arts Department aims to continue this legacy with programs like Let the Music Begin which provides music education free of charge for many of our city's under-served children, our summer music camps, as well as our Metro Youth Gospel Arts program which serves Salvationist young people who join together once a month to receive more advanced musical training in band, chorus, praise band, dance, and drama.
Dr. Jonathan Corry arrived in the Metropolitan Division in October 2016 from Enfield Citadel Corps in London, England where he was the Bandmaster from 2008. In 2016, Jonathan completed his Ph.D. from the University of Salford centered on balancing religious expectations with artistic excellence.
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Jonathan received his B.Mus (hons) degree from the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) where he studied Trumpet with John Miller, John Dickinson and David Staff. During this time he performed and recorded with many famous brass bands including Black Dyke, Brighouse & Rastrick and Fodens. He has been a featured concerto soloist performing works by Haydn and Hummel with the Ulster Orchestra and Camerata Ireland respectively. An interest in conducting developed at the RNCM, leading to Jonathan becoming Musical Director of Besses O’th Barn brass band – the oldest established brass band on record!
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Jonathan completed a Masters (M.Mus) in conducting at the RNCM, which led to him conducting many fine ensembles including the Grimethorpe Band, Christlicher Musikverband Schwiez (CMVS), The National Youth Orchestra of Ireland and the European Youth Brass Band. He has been a guest at many SA music schools throughout Europe and USA and continues to be in demand as a clinician and adjudicator for brass bands.
Jonathon Weller
Divisional Music & Gospel Arts Program Manager
jonathon.weller@usc.salvationarmy.org
Jonathon Weller has joined the Music and Gospel Arts Department after completing the five-year double major in Vocal Performance and Music Education from Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts (CCPA), and a brief stint as an Elementary Music Teacher in Waukegan, Illinois.
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Jonathon was born in Birmingham, England and moved to the suburbs of Chicago with his family at a young age. He now attends the Norridge Citadel Corps where he is a member of the Corps Band (BBb Bass), Songster Brigade (choir), Sound team, and heads up the Drama team.
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For three and half seasons, Jonathon was a member of the Bill Booth Theater Company and is now a member of the Chicago Staff Band (BBb Bass) conducted by Dr. Harold Burgmayer where he is also a vocal soloist.
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While singing in CCPA’s top choir, Conservatory Chorus conducted by Dr. Cheryl Frazes-Hill, he sung with the CCPA Baroque Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, Chicago Sinfonietta, Chicago Philharmonic, was the bass solo cover for a performance with the Illinois Philharmonic, and a bass soloist with the Northbrook Symphony. He made his operatic debut singing Sarastro in Mozart’s The Magic Flute with the American Chamber Opera.
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Jonathon has also sung as a member of the Grant Park Apprentice Chorale. The Apprentice Chorale is a small ensemble made up of singers from universities in Chicago and performs alongside the Grant Park Symphony Chorus at events at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millenium Park, as well as presenting a series of standalone concerts.
