A music man for all seasons

Jonathan Brennand ('08) is a double major in History and Music. What makes this particular double major so very special are his many musical accomplishments on and off campus. Originally from Ruislip in Middlesex, England, Brennand started his musical career at his high school in Boston, Mass. For his senior project, he conducted a solo and won a conducting award in the process.

At Drew University, he began his academic career as an English major. After taking various courses, he switched to History. At the same time, the music hall in the Dorothy Young Center for the Arts had just been completed. "I thought it was a good opportunity to take advantage of," Brennand said. "So I decided to double major in both History and Music." He became involved with different musical activities on campus, including the orchestra, chorale and 36 Madison Aveue. "I did Mad Ave for three years," Brennand said. "I couldn't do it this year because I wanted to fully devote the time that is necessary to it, but I wasn't able to do that with everything going on."

He was the business manager of Mad Ave. "Before I knew him, I had heard of him from his involvement [in clubs at Drew]," friend and resident assistant, Stacey Sailer ('10) said. Now, he is the assistant conductor of the Drew University orchestra. "He is very professional when it comes to his music," friend and President of the Drew University Music Society Jamie Jung ('08) said. "He always has intelligent comments to say as critique."

Brennand is also a resident assistant in Riker Hall. He started in his sophomore year at Tolley-Brown. Jung met him at the end of their freshman year and spent the summer with him during their training for being resident assistants, where they became close friends. When called for an interview she immediately asked, "Did he put you up to this?" Apparently, he is not only known as a great conductor, but also a "trickster," according to Jung. "He's a very silly, silly man," Jung said.

It seems that not only his friends find him entertaining and fun. According to his boss, Resident Director Drew Chen, "He's a pretty hilarious guy. People might not expect that at first, but there's a lot there." Casey Talbot('08), a fellow chorale member and a resident on the same floor for two years in a row that Brennand is a RA on, feels a similar affection and appreciation for him. "He's a really fun friend," Talbot said. "I can't imagine chorale without him. It will be a weird experience."

Off campus, he got involved with the Grace Episcopal Church in Madison last April and began conducting the children's choir. The woman in charge there, Dr. Anne Mattack, a Yale University graduate, then offered Brennand the opportunity to be the assistant conductor of the Harmonium Choral Society in Morristown.

When asked about what he would do after graduation, Brennand is still foggy. "There are a lot of opportunities, but I'm still not sure what I want to do," Brennand said.

He is looking into to a few graduate programs at English universities that, specifically looking at urban historiography, and also a few music schools back in the States. He was also encouraged to apply to be a director in Morris County. "Whatever he does, he takes to heart. He doesn't do anything half-way," Chen said.