JONATHAN KAROLY has been a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since the 1997/98 season. A native of Chicago, he began studying the cello at the age of three, and was a prize-winning cellist, pianist, and composer from an early age. Following his studies in Chicago and New York, Karoly graduated in May 1997 from the University of Southern California, where he was a pupil of Ronald Leonard.

Active as a solo and chamber musician, Karoly has performed in many festivals: Marlboro, Verbier, Sarasota, Music Academy of the West, the International Laureates Chamber Music Festival in Los Angeles, La Jolla Summerfest, and Aspen, where he was a fellowship recipient. He has also been a frequent performer on Musicians from Marlboro tours across the country. In addition, he is a regular performer at the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Chamber Music Society and Green Umbrella new music concerts. In 1999 Karoly was invited to perform several concerts of chamber works with Pierre Boulez at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall.

An accomplished competition winner, Karoly took the grand prize in the Pasadena Instrumental Competition and first prize in the Chicago Cello Society Competition. As a concerto soloist, he has performed with numerous orchestras throughout the country, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and he has been principal cellist of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and the Debut Orchestra of Los Angeles, among others.

Karoly has appeared live in radio broadcasts in Chicago and Los Angeles in solo recitals and chamber music performances.