Acclaimed for his “most assured pianism,” and “natural, songful lyricism” (The Dallas Morning News), pianist and educator Jonathan Mamora strives to uplift and positively influence others using music as a means for service. An Indonesian-American and Southern California native, he was first enrolled in piano lessons by his parents with a goal of becoming a church musician.Now with a burgeoning performing career, Jonathan’s commitment to service is steadfast—whether playing in church or in the community or on the concert stage.
Jonathan has performed throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia, and he has enjoyed remarkable recent success, winning first prize at numerous prominent international piano competitions (IPC’s), including: Hilton Head IPC; Scottish IPC; Concurs Internacional de Música Maria Canals Barcelona; Olga Kern IPC (New Mexico); AntwerPiano International Competition; Dallas IPC; and the Palm Springs IPC (formerly the Virginia Waring).In May 2025, he performs as one of 30 elite pianists invited to compete in the Van Cliburn IPC in Fort Worth, TX.
His May 2023 debut recital at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall drew great praise from the New York Concert Review: “Mr. Mamora’s playing itself is larger than life…(with) a technique so solid that it seemed at times that he couldn’t play a wrong note if he tried (and)…an encyclopedic array of dynamics and articulations.”He returns to Weill Hall in October 2025 for a recital presented by the HHIPC, and other current recital engagements include: the L’Auditori Festival Emergents in Barcelona; Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow; Bachauer Festival in Salt Lake City; Chautauqua Institution in upstate New York, and Savannah Music Festival in Georgia.
Following his concerto debut at age 13 with the La Sierra University Orchestra, Jonathan has gone on to perform with such orchestras as the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid, New Mexico Philharmonic, Simfònica Sant Cugat, Orquesta Ciudad de Granada, Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa, and Dallas Chamber Symphony, among others.Upcoming concerto engagements include: Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife, Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, Greenville Symphony Orchestra, and the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra.
Jonathan has served as a church musician much of his life, most recently as Music Director and Organist at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Clifton Springs, NY. He often performs as a collaborative pianist for vocalists, instrumentalists, ensembles, and choirs, and has received the Eastman ‘Excellence in Accompanying’ Award. In addition to piano and organ, he also performs as a percussionist, vocalist, historical keyboardist (harpsichord, fortepiano), and conductor.
Jonathan values education as an important tool in music making. He previously taught piano and music theory/ear training for various institutions, including the Eastman School of Music and The Juilliard School, and has conducted master classes in North and South America, and Europe. He will serve as Director of Keyboard Studies at La Sierra University starting in fall 2025.
Jonathan Mamora is a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Literature at the Eastman School of Music under the tutelage of Douglas Humpherys, whom he served as studio assistant. He received his Bachelor of Music from La Sierra University and his Master of Music from The Juilliard School. His previous piano teachers include Elvin Rodríguez and Hung-Kuan Chen.