Nathan Hetherington

Nathan Hetherington is active in the New York City area as a conductor, composer, teacher, and singer. He has long been a champion of new music in both the jazz and classical worlds and has conducted countless premieres, working closely with composers to bring their works to life with energy and sensitivity. Nathan is deeply engaged with the world of music education, sharing his knowledge and love of music history, music theory, composition, and conducting with students of all ages and levels of musical ability.

Nathan Hetherington’s passionate commitment to the training of young orchestral musicians led him to create the Praxis Youth Leadership Orchestra, a radically new type of ensemble focused on mentoring serious young musicians in musical and social leadership. In addition to his work with Praxis, he conducts at the Manhattan School of Music Precollege Division and Summer Music Camp, as well as the Lucy Moses and Special Music Schools. In 2012 he was appointed Orchestra Director at Horace Mann School, where, in addition to his conducting duties in the Middle and Upper Divisions, he teaches music history and steel drums.

Nathan received his B.A. in music from Vassar College, where he founded and for two years directed the Mahagonny Ensemble, a student group of singers and instrumentalists specializing in concert and theater works of the last 100 years. Following a year of conducting study with Tonu Kalam at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Nathan completed an M.M. in jazz vocal performance at Manhattan School of Music. In May 2006 he completed a second master’s degree at MSM in classical composition, studying with J. Mark Stambaugh. After graduating, he continued his compositional studies privately with Richard Danielpour and his conducting studies with Roger Nierenberg.

Manhattan School of Music Precollege faculty since 2006.