Jonathan Morgan Jenkins

For over 26 years, Jonathan has been teaching private Voice, Guitar and Piano to hundreds of people. After founding and directing the former Capistrano Chorale for nearly ten years, he also proved his incredible ability to teach a large group and motivate them to acheive important goals in vocal performance. He is known for using his proven Vocal Training skills to turn weak, untrained singers and speakers into vocalists who perform with controlled vocal power and clear diction.

Here is how it all started.

Jonathan was born in Santa Monica California and lived in various homes in the Los Angeles area before his family settled in San Clemente, south of Los Angeles, in 1962.

It was here that he was introduced to music at a young age when his mother, Mary Jenkins (Monk) began teaching guitar to neighborhood children. Soon, his mother's student load made it necessary to open a small music studio downtown. When her students needed instruments and accessories, his father Jim Jenkins an Aerospace executive with the Hughes Corporation, officially opened the business as "MARIA DEL ARTE".

With the explosion of new talent in the 60's and a need for his mother's students to have a venue to perform their newly polished talents, the folk/rock club THE FOUR MUSES was born. Built in the same building, The Muses quickly developed as a popular venue for local talent, it was the only place in the area.

Back then, the major Southern Cal, small club venues were, THE FOUR MUSES, the GOLDEN BEAR, the ICE HOUSE and the famous TROUBADOR were ELTON JOHN made his west coast debut. Some Four Muses regulars included JACKSON BROWN, STEVE MARTIN, JACK TEMPCHIN (who composed many early EAGLES hits), LINDA RONSTADT, CORKY CARROLL and TAJ MAHAL who toured the local circuit in those days hoping for success. Another famous local band, HONK, from Laguna Beach were frequent performers at the Muses and it was there they became  more aquainted with film makers, GREG MCGILLVERY and JIM FREEMAN, who signed the group to write the sound track for their famous surfing film, FIVE SUMMER STORIES.

During this period, Jonathan learned to play guitar. Aside from his mother, one of his first teachers was JOHN BLAKELY who rented a room in their home. Blakely was one on the founding members of the famous surf band, THE SANDELS, who wrote the sound track for the famous BRUCE BROWN film,  THE ENDLESS SUMMER.

With this inspiration, he helped found the surf band, THE EXCEPTIONS, with his close friends RANDY JOHNSON, STEVE GASPARRO and BOB LINDBERG during the 5th and 6th grade. After becoming a popular band at local parties, they were invited to play at the graduation of their 6th grade class.

During high school, he played in Friday night Hoots (local amateur night) and various rock bands. His mother, MOTHER MARY, so named by her students became a second to mother to many kids who had strained family relationships during the social changes that were a part of that era.

When his father passed away in 1975, his mother was unable to continue operations and closed the business.

With a desire to teach music professionally, Jonathan started college full time in 1978 and graduated with his BA in Choral and Instrumental Education with California Teaching Credentials in 1983. After a short time as a school teacher, chose another career path and opened up his music studio. From that time to the present he has coached hundreds of vocalists into powerful performers, most or which had little or no prior training.

In 1992,he founded the CAPISTRANO CHORALE with a group of 10 women and built the group over a 10-year period to 80 plus singers singing at 5 different local venues, twice a year.

In 1993, he released his first solo compact disc, WINDOWS, a collection arrangements for String Orchestra. Windows was recorded in one of the first, Digital Recording Studios, in Southern California and consists entirely of Computer Generated music, a common- place technology currently.

Following this recording, Jonathan continued to upgrade his own studio with the latest technologies. Currently using the latest Apple Hardware and Logic 7 software, he is able to Record, Produce, Arrange and Burn client CD's. It's a one-stop production shop. Now teaching, Guitar Piano and Voice, these technologies are essential to give his students immediate feedback regarding their progress and the opportunity to compose and produce their own projects.

In 2002, Jonathan found another way to express his creativity. He hired a screenwriter to bring his story, SKY, to life. Since completed, Sky has received positive reviews and was nearly produced in 2005 by an independent production company that became plagued with internal organizational problems. Undaunted, Jonathan purchased Final Draft screenwriting software and gave another one of his ideas a try. He completed his first screenplay, THE CAGE. QUANAH, and THE WAVERIDERS followed these. He is currently writing the cold war drama with a unique twist, COMRADES. With three more in development, he is busy and continuing to refine his skills. He is marketing his work on the popular web site, INKTIP.COM.

Jonathan has further extended his capabilities. After receiving his pilot's license, Jonathan became acquainted with MALCOLM CAMPBELL who flew Helicopters for the army, including Vietnam. Currently, he is a formation pilot with HERITAGE T-34 FOUNDATION of with Jonathan is a board member. Jonathan began flying with the Formation Team at various air shows and filming the vents. In 2006, he was officially designated to Formation photographer. Now using the latest High Definition technology he is not only filming for the foundation but has expanded his client base to filming local events and editing and producing them in his state of the audio/video studio. Another service he provides is taking a history of family film shots and turning them into a retrospective DVD to be cherished by all the family members.

In 2007, Jonathan opened Vocal Warrior on the worldwide web and is quickly becoming and important voice in the Vocal Training and Home Recording Studio community.

Education

A.A.-1979 Saddleback Community College-Mission Viejo, Ca
Major-Music

B.A.-1983 California State University Fullerton-Fullerton. Ca.
Major-Music Education
Minor-Composition & Arranging

California State Teaching Credentials
Single Subject-Music/Clear
Multiple Subject/Clear

03/92-07/01
Founder, Musical Director and President of the Board\Capistrano Chorale Inc., a California nonprofit organization. Responsibilities included: Producing programs for 75 singers, choosing all music, interviewing new members, negotiating all contracts, directing all sectionals & rehearsals, hiring musicians,directing all shows. Performed 5 concerts in Orange County twice yearly, including the prestigious Barclay Theater in Irvine,Ca.

1990-2007
President
MORGAN STREET MUSIC

Digital Recording, Film Score, Commercials, Song Writing, Demo CD_S, Production Services, Arranging, Lead Sheets, Vocal, Piano and Guitar Instruction. Video Production.

2007 - Present
OPENED "VOCAL WARRIOR" on the WORLDWIDE WEB.

Film Work / Screenplays

SKY
THE CAGE
QUANAH
THE WAVERIDERS
COMRADES