Born in Athens, of Albanian and Greek heritage, Jonian is currently completing his Masters at the Kronberg Academy with Antje Weithaas. He was selected by Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) in 2018.
As a soloist recent highlights include the Munich Radio Orchestra, Lübeck Philharmonic, Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt, Bad Reichenhall Philharmonic, Greek Radio Orchestra, Thessaloniki State Orchestra and Orchestra della Toscana in repertoire from Bach to Stravinsky.
Jonian has performed widely in Europe appearing at Wigmore Hall, Berlin Philharmonie, Salle Moliere Lyon, Salle Garnier Montecarlo, the Megaron Hall Athens, Goldener Saal Augsburg and the Teatro Verdi in Firenze. In 2018 he returned as Artist- in-Residence to the Boswiler Sommer Festival performing concertos by Bach, Mozart and Beethoven conducted by Gábor Takács-Nagy, and to the Mantua Chamber Music Festival in Italy performing Vivaldi 4 Seasons with the Mantova Chamber Orchestra.
Engagements during 2018/19 include concertos with the Royal Philharmonic, RTE Symphony, New Russian State Orchestra, Nidum Ensemble, Albanian Radio, Milano Classica and Coburg Philharmonic Orchestras. He records his second CD for CAvi Music with works by Honegger, Kodaly and Skalkottas, returns to Open Chamber Music at IMS Prussia Cove playing with Steven Isserlis and Ferenc Rados, and gives recitals at the Handelsbeurs Concertzaal, Gent, Barber Institute, Birmingham, Elgar Room of Royal Albert Hall, London, and for SWR2 at Villa Ludwigshöhe Edenkoben. His first CD with pianist Nicholas Rimmer was released in 2017 to critical acclaim.
Sought after as a chamber musician Jonian has taken part in the Festspiele Mecklenburg- Vorpommern, Progetto Martha Argerich, Heidelberger-Frühling, Lockenhaus, Musikdorf-Ernen and Hitzacker Festivals. He has collaborated with Steven Isserlis, Ivry Gitlis, Nicolas Altstaedt, Thomas Demenga, Ilya Gringolts and Pekka Kuusisto, and taken part in Kronberg’s Chamber Music Connects the World Festival and the Verbier Academy Festival. In 2010 he co-founded the Trio Gaspard who won 1st Prize at the Haydn Competition in Vienna and are currently Fellows at the Royal Northern College of Music.
Jonian was taught by Salvatore Accardo, Grigori Zhislin and Ulf Wallin and undertook chamber music studies with Hatto Beyerle in Hannover and the European Chamber Music Academy. He has won top prizes at the 2015 Deutscher Musikwettbewerb, 2017 Windsor International and 2013 Leopold Mozart Violin Competitions, and participated in masterclasses with Ferenc Rados, Steven Isserlis, Ivry Gitlis, Leonidas Kavakos and Eberhard Feltz.
Jonian plays on Nicola Gagliano violin (18th century), kindly on loan from the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben in Hamburg.
To regard him simply as a huge talent is not enough: there is an element of pure genius in this young man. Süddeutsche Zeitung – Harald Eggebrecht / July 2017
…one of the best chamber music CDs of 2017 WDR Klassik Radio / Cavi-Music CD
Entralling and impulsive…great musical narrative ability BR-Klassik / Cavi-Music CD / 2017
Meticulously realised… SWR2 / Cavi-Music CD / 2017
A very, very rare talent… Salvatore Accardo