Jonathan Oldengarm

Organist and chamber musician Jonathan Oldengarm is Minister of Music at Toronto’s Metropolitan United Church, where he oversees an extensive musical programme that includes multiple ensembles, two concert series, and numerous annual musical service highlights. He is also responsible for maintaining and programming the church’s treasury of instruments, including Canada’s largest pipe organ (Casavant op. 1367, with 8,400 pipes); the 54-bell Massey-Drury carillon, a Klaus Becker positive organ, and more.

He maintains an active solo performance, broadcast and recording schedule, and is a laureate of several international competitions. Recording credits include discs on the ATMA Classique, Klanglogo and Analekta labels with Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal; saxophonist Claudia Tesorino; the Ottawa Bach Choir (Lisette Canton, director); the A&P Choir (Jean-Sébastien Vallée, conductor); and Buzz Brass.

Jonathan holds degrees in organ and harpsichord performance from Wilfrid Laurier and McGill Universities; the Fellowship diploma of the Royal Canadian College of Organists; and studied at the Hochschule für Musik in Stuttgart, Germany. From 2008 until 2022 he taught organ, harpsichord, keyboard skills, and liturgical improvisation at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University, while serving as Director of Music and Organist at the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul, Montreal. Jonathan began as Minister of Music at Metropolitan in August 2022, succeeding Dr. Patricia Wright, Dr. Melville Cook, S. Drummond Wolff, Herbert Fricker and a long line of other distinguished Canadian church musicians.