Nashville Symphony CEO and leadership

Until recently, Jonathan Marx has served as Vice President of Communications for the Nashville Symphony, responsible for developing cohesive communications strategies and supervising the institution’s public relations, website, social media, graphic design, publications and archives. Working closely with the Symphony’s marketing, development and education teams, he has played a key role in crafting institutional messaging and branding, with a focus on increasing public awareness of the Nashville Symphony’s mission and value to the community.

A member of the Nashville Symphony’s administrative staff since 2008, Jonathan has overseen strategy for all public relations campaigns, including major institutional initiatives, season announcements, individual concerts and educational initiatives. He provides media coaching, talking points and written communications for President & CEO and other members of the senior management team. Under his oversight, the Nashville Symphony’s social media engagement has experienced exponential growth, as the institution has increased its following and presence across multiple platforms with thoughtfully crafted and curated content that reflects the quality of the Nashville Symphony’s artistic product.

A former journalist with 18 years’ combined experience as an editor, critic and reporter for the Nashville Scene and The Tennessean, Jonathan also maintained a side career as a musician for nearly two decades, having recorded a dozen albums and toured widely with the group Lambchop. He has also toured with and appeared on recordings by Yo La Tengo and the late Vic Chesnutt. A native Nashvillian and lover of all things local, he served as producer of two archival reissue recordings by The Feminine Complex, an all-female teen rock ’n’ roll band from the late 1960s. He currently hosts a weekly broadcast, "Transmission," on community radio station WXNA-101.5 FM.

Jonathan's wife, Lesley Patterson-Marx, is a printmaker, book artist and art educator. They have one son, Abraham.