Raised in the Bergisches Land region between Cologne and Düsseldorf, Jan Donner initially received piano lessons before discovering the trombone family. His trombone studies laid the foundation for an internationally oriented career as an orchestral musician, soloist, and teacher.

Jan Donner was a regular trombonist in the orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin and has performed as a guest with numerous renowned German and international ensembles. A selection of the orchestras with which he has collaborated includes the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne, the Staatskapelle Berlin, the Staatskapelle Dresden, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the Hamburg State Opera, and the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra.

As a soloist, he has performed with, among others, the Polish Chamber Philharmonic, the Bergische Symphoniker, the Junge Bläserphilharmonie NRW, and the German Armed Forces Band.

He was also a founding member of the brass ensemble 10forBrass. At the Dresden University of Music (HFM Dresden), he is a co-initiator and organizer of the brassSpektrum Festival, which provides artistic inspiration and fosters international exchange in the field of brass instruments.

Jan Donner is a regular guest at international festivals and concert series, including the International Trombone Festival, and gives masterclasses worldwide, including in the USA and China.

His debut CD, Meanwhile, was released in 2021. In April 2025, he released the CD Layers, a collaboration with the German Armed Forces Band.

In addition to his artistic work, he is particularly committed to the training of young musicians. From 2018 to 2023, he was a lecturer at the Rostock University of Music and Theatre. Since 2019, he has taught at the Bach Gymnasium Berlin, a specialized school for highly gifted young orchestral musicians. In October 2022, he was appointed Professor of Trombone at the Carl Maria von Weber University of Music Dresden. In November 2024, he received the teaching award there.

In addition to his musical career, Jan Donner completed qualified further training in the fields of church music (C-level organ training), music physiology and mental training, which substantially support his artistic and pedagogical work.