Jonathan Batiste is an iconic artist, unique in this generation. With his voice on piano and dapper sense of style, he has ignited the NYC music scene. He is from a celebrated lineage of musicians. He has performed in over 40 countries, has appeared in Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, Concertgebouw, has released several CD’s, among them “Times In New Orleans”, “Live In New York: At The Rubin Museum Of Art”, and “MY N.Y.”, and EP’s “The Amazing Jon Batiste EP” and “In The Night EP”. On T.V. he has been featured in the NBA All-Star Game Half-Time Show 2008, the HBO series “Treme”, and BET. He has collaborated with Wynton Marsalis, Prince, Jimmy Buffett, Harry Connick Jr, Roy Hargrove, Cassandra Wilson, The Gilt Groupe fashion line, and filmmaker Spike Lee among others. He is a “Movado Future Legend” award recipient and a “Steinway Performing Artist”.
Jonathan Batiste is the founder and leader of The Stay Human Band, a modern jazz ensemble noted for their world-class music, high energy and uplifting spirit.
As a role model, Batiste motivates the next generation of musicians. In his role as co-director and music curator at The National Jazz Museum in Harlem, he has programmed year-long educational workshops for hundreds of students. He is a traveling ambassador for the NY based non-profit organization “Music Unites” founded by Michelle Edgar. He collaborates on various projects with Edgar throughout the year dedicated to bringing music education to children. As an international educator and humanitarian, Batiste has conducted clinics and master classes worldwide.
Praised as "especially winning" (The New York Times) with "a voice destined for super
stardom" (Palm Beach Daily), Soprano Monica Yunus thrills audiences in concert,
recital, and on the operatic stage. A high-energy performer with an innate devotion to
character, she has been commended for her “rich and sensuous voice [that] was utterly
captivating” (Charleston City Paper).
During the 2012-13 season, she once again joins The Metropolitan Opera as Yvette in
their production of La Rondine, Opera Omaha as Pamina in The Magic F lute, and The
Wichita Symphony for concert performances of CarminaBurana. Her summer 2012
season included concerts with Andrea Bocelli in Lajatico, Italy, and with José Carerras at
The Zouk Mikael International Festival in Lebanon where The Daily Star wrote,
“Carreras and Yunus’ performance gifted the Zouk Mikael International Festival with a
wonderful, almost magical conclusion.” During the previous season, she joined The
Metropolitan Opera’s new production of The E nchanted Islandand sang Norina in Opera
Memphis’ production of Don Pasquale where she “[held] the audience spellbound with
her astonishing voice.” (Live from Memphis).
A favorite at The Metropolitan Opera, Ms. Yunus made her critically acclaimed debut as
Barbarina in Le Nozze di F igaro, conducted by James Levine, and has since performed
with the company in new and standard productions ranging from The E nchanted Islandto
Le Comte Ory, to Die Zauberflöte to Manon, and Don Giovanni, to name a few. She can
be seen and heard in several HD productions recorded live from The Met and available
on DVD: La Rondine, Le Comte Ory, and The E nchanted Island.