It is with immense sadness that we mark the passing of our dear friend, colleague and MCNA board member, Jonathan David Neal.
Composer, conductor, arranger, educator, and humanitarian, Jon was one of the kindest, gentlest souls I have ever met. His love for music and its creation was exemplified by his service to the community, his years of teaching at Biola University, and his concern for the underprivileged children in the Panama String Sprouts program, for whom music would have been an unattainable dream without Jon’s devotion to their musical education.
For the Society of Composers & Lyricists, Jonathan served on the board, officiating as its Recording Secretary, from 2007 to 2022 and remained a director till 2023. He also served as Treasurer for Music Creators North America from its inception in 2013 till his death. His understanding and appreciation of music creators’ rights, both in the domestic and international spheres, was exceptional. It was of paramount importance to Jon that composers and songwriters understood the rights embodied in the music they created, so they could be better positioned to take advantage of opportunities as they forged a career in the art and craft of music scoring.
Over the years, I had the pleasure of traveling with him to several conferences on behalf of the SCL and MCNA. I always enjoyed his wry, understated sense of humor, often prompted in response to the unique situations and colorful characters we would encounter—memories that put a smile on my face even as I am writing this.
But above everything else, what I’ll always remember about Jonathan is his heart. He had a willingness to assist in whatever way he could, but never once made it feel like asking for help was a burden. He was always there when you needed him, because that’s simply who he was.
Like so many, Jonathan, I feel blessed that I met you, and we shared some time on this planet together. It was truly a privilege.
Farewell, my friend. Rest in peace.
Ashley Irwin
MCNA co-chair, SCL President
