Mondry's career has taken him from Michigan to some of the world's most prestigious early music stages and competitions.
A Franklin native with an international reputation, Nathan Mondry has built a career reviving centuries-old musical traditions while pushing them in new directions.
The acclaimed harpsichordist, organist, clavichordist and fortepianist will return home to perform at the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival on June 24.
Now based in New York, the former Temple Beth El member has earned international recognition not only as a performer, but also as an improviser and composer specializing in historical performance practice.
Mondry's career has taken him from Michigan to some of the world's most prestigious early music stages and competitions.
His accolades include a Special Prize at the First International Competition for Basso Continuo and Partimento Realization in Katowice in 2019, a First Prize alongside collaborator Arnie Tanimoto at the 2018 Bach-Abel Competition and a composition prize at the International Competition for Organ Composition in Pordenone.
Most recently, he was named a Laureate finalist in the 2025 Prix de Fugue.
Reviving the Past Through New York
Beyond performance, Mondry has become sought after for reconstructing and composing original works for ensembles and arts organizations across Europe and North America.
His commissions have included projects for the Projet Myrelingues of Association Ephémère classique in Lyon, Les Idées Heureuses in Montreal, Prima Flautina in Basel and Les Délices in Cleveland.
He is also a co-founder of both Nuova Pratica and the Montreal-based ensemble Les Barocudas, whose albums La Peste and Basta Parlare! received nominations for Canada's prestigious Juno Awards in 2020 and 2023, respectively.
Mondry's musical journey began in Michigan. After earning a bachelor's degree in piano performance from the University of Michigan, he went on to receive a master's degree in harpsichord performance and an artist diploma in organ performance from McGill University.
He later completed a master's degree in historical improvisation at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis before finishing studies in the Historical Performance Department at The Juilliard School in 2025.
Today, Mondry, 35, continues his work at Juilliard as a staff accompanist and teaching assistant for the school's Historical Improvisation Class, helping a new generation of musicians rediscover the spontaneity, creativity and expressive freedom at the heart of early music.
A Lifelong Dialogue with Music
By age 7, Mondry was already immersed in piano studies, spending hours not only practicing repertoire but also experimenting at the keyboard himself.
Improvisation came naturally, eventually leading him toward a fascination with composition and the many eras and styles of classical music.
Rather than simply admiring the works of great composers from afar, Mondry wanted to understand how the music functioned from the inside out.
“Through that, I got interested in composing and wanting to make my own contributions,†he says. “When you have an obsession with learning hundreds and hundreds of pieces of music in different styles, it wasn't enough for me to simply listen to them.â€
For Mondry, music became something deeply personal and interactive.
“I wanted to be in a dialogue with the music that inspired me,†he says.
That curiosity ultimately shaped the direction of his career. By high school, he began seriously considering music not just as a passion, but as a profession.
What followed were years of rigorous study, international performances and collaborations that carried him from Michigan to Montreal, Basel and New York, and eventually onto concert stages across Europe and North America.
Fresh off a recent European tour with performances in France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, Mondry is now focused on recording and editing several upcoming albums.
Even amid a demanding international schedule, returning home to Michigan for the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival holds special meaning.
For the Franklin native, the appearance is more than another stop on a busy performance calendar. It's a homecoming and an opportunity to share the music and artistry he has cultivated around the world with the community where it all began.
“It's a significant moment,†Mondry says. “It's a milestone in my life as an artist.â€
For more information, visit https://greatlakeschambermusic.org/event/tastingnotes.
