Jessica Gethin

Jessica Gethin is an Australian orchestra conductor and music director. Gethin was previously Chief Conductor of the Perth Symphony Orchestra https://musicaustralia.org.au/2018/07/france-commits-to-closing-the-gender-gap-for-conductors/ 45] 48 50 51 58 [https://www.cutcommonmag.com/on-the-podium-with-conductor-jessica-gethin/ 66 (Perth, Western Australia) from 2011-2019 along with many other guest conducting engagements throughout Australia, United States, New Zealand and Asia. Gethin is recognized for her breadth of repertoire crossing between core symphonic and choral repertoire, to ballet and opera, contemporary and film score.
== Early Life ==
Gethin grew up in Perth, Western Australia, into a musical family. Her father Raymond Walker is a jazz guitarist and improvisation lecturer and mother Teresa Walker a vocalist. https://www.weekendnotes.com/walker-trio-jazz-concert/ 2] 51 67 She has three sisters, the youngest Sophie (Sophie Curtis) an established Australian cellist. http://^https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/art/classical-sisters-are-doing-it-for-themselves-ng-ya-163786 3 Her great grandfather was Irish conductor John Clarke-Barry, the first Irish conductor to broadcast live on BBC radio with his orchestra (The John Clarke-Barry Orchestra) and father of the well known Irish entertainer Billie Barry https://www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone/2014/0925/648027-over-the-waves/ 54. Gethin started playing violin and piano at age six, completing her high school years as Music Prefect at St Mary's Anglican Girls' School|St Mary's Anglican School for Girls (Karrinyup, Western Australia) https://issuu.com/stmarysags/docs/st-marys-women-brochure 52. Gethin graduated with a Bachelor of Music Performance degree (violin) in 2001 from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/triple-treat-for-conductor-ng-ya-126091 6 53 63 66 studying violin under Professor Paul Wright. During her university studies Gethin was appointed Concertmaster of the University Symphony Orchestra, selected as a finalist in the UWA Concerto Competition and received the Faith Court Performance Prize. Gethin performed as a professional freelance violinist http://www.northstreetmusic.com/music-direction/ 7 [https://www.schmopera.com/scene/people/jessica-gethin/ 68 for ten years as both a soloist, orchestral and chamber musician.
Gethin commenced conducting in her early twenties as conducting intern with the WA Youth Orchestra mentored by Peter Moore. Following a one-year internship, Gethin was invited to accompany the WA Youth Orchestra as Assistant Conductor touring the United Kingdom, Germany and Prague in 2001. In 2003, Gethin successfully auditioned for the Symphony Australia Conductor Development Program https://theowordmusicblog.wordpress.com/blogs/2016-2/september-2016/jessica-gethin-from-the-eyes-of-a-conductor/ 8] [http://www.acunningplan.com/index.php/2014/05/28/women-conductors-a-postscript/ 60 where she participated for five years.
== Career ==
Gethin has a diverse musical background working in genres ranging from baroque http://www.theaterjones.com/ntx/reviews/20151215215706/2015-12-15/Dallas-Opera/Institute-for-Women-Conductors-Concert 9] 68, classical, https://performing.artshub.com.au/news-article/reviews/performing-arts/mike-parry/beethoven-bratwurst-and-beer-197673 10, opera https://dallasopera.org/six-women-selected-for-institute-for-women-conductors/ 11, jazz and musical theatre https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/whats-happening-ng-148fe5407dc360d3bec1b8254dcbc024 12, ballet https://www.pressreader.com 13, contemporary https://www.cutcommonmag.com/live-review-smells-like-orchestral-spirit/ 14 and film score https://www.om-macau.org/en/event/heroes-a-video-game-symphony/ 15. Gethin has directed shows featuring collaborations with popular/contemporary artists with the full symphony orchestra; conducting contemporary cross over pairings such as the Michael Bolton Symphony Tour (2018) https://perthconcerthall.com.au/events/event/michael-bolton-symphony-tour 17 65 and orchestral proms including several New Years Eve’s ‘Vienna Pops’ https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/arts-reviews/concert-review-vienna-pops-ng-ya-337215 18 and ‘Best of British’ https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/arts-reviews/concert-review-best-of-british-ng-ya-211970 16 at Perth Concert Hall (Western Australia)|Perth Concert Hall with the Perth Pops Orchestra. Soloist collaborations have included Bryn Terfel, Sara Macliver, Rudolf Koelman https://www.schmopera.com/scene/people/jessica-gethin/ 68, Marina Prior, David Hobson (tenor)|David Hobson, James Morrison (jazz musician)|James Morrison, [http://www.rachelledurkin.com/ Rachelle Durkin and Lisa McCune to name a few. Orchestras she has conducted include the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra [21], Malaysian Philharmonic http://mpo.com.my/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/TUTUS_ONLINE.pdf 22, Macao Orchestra, WA Symphony Orchestra, Base Philharmonic https://baseentertainment.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Media-Release_Disney-in-Concert-A-Dream-is-a-Wish_Base-Entertainment-Asia.pdf 25, WA Philharmonic, Perth Symphony,Auckland Philharmonic https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/92937342/auckland-philharmonia-orchestra-scores-with-nintendo 28, Camerata https://www.star.com.au/goldcoast/whats-on/entertainment/live-concerts/michael-bolton 29 and the Dallas Opera Orchestra as well as conducting several pit seasons with the West Australian Ballet (Giselle, ALICE (In Wonderland), Dracula and The Nutcracker https://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/reviews/giselle-west-australian-ballet/ 30 . Jessica was the conductor for the original film score of Australia’s full length feature film ‘100% Wolf’ https://epaper.communitynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/WEEKLY_WESTERN-SUBURBS_25062020.pdf 31 as well as the Australasian tour conductor for ‘The Legend of Zelda: Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses’ https://www.vooks.net/interview-jessica-gethin-conductor-legend-zelda-symphony-goddesses/ 32] [https://www.rocketchainsaw.com.au/interview-symphony-goddesses-creator-jason-michael-paul/ 69 and the ‘National Geographic’s Symphony For Our World’ Australasian tour from 2017-2019 https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=AAWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.adelaidenow.com.au%2Flifestyle%2Fsa-weekend%2Fadelaide-festival-conductor-jessica-gethin-prepares-for-premiere-of-new-overture-at-symphony-for-our-world%2Fnews-story%2Fc18dba7237eb88394ce2f874aa8132bd&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium 33. An advocate for supporting new music, Gethin has conducted several world premieres.
== Awards and Honours ==
* 1998 - Won the Faith Court Performance Prize for Violin https://www.businessnews.com.au/Person/Jessica-Gethin 50
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* 2015 – Listed as Australian Financial Review's Top 100 Australian Women of Influence https://www.ampag.com.au/article/qsos-sophie-galaise-100-women-of-influence-awards?A=WebApp&CCID=18128&Page=2&Items=20mopera.com/scene/people/jessica-gethin/ 34] 50 [https://www.afrwomenofinfluence.com.au/alumni_search/page/24/ 56
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* 2015 – Accepted into the Hart Institute of Women Conductor's as Inaugural Fellow with the Dallas Opera http://artsandculturetx.com/women-at-the-podium-the-dallas-opera-institute-for-women-conductors/ 35] 50 57 [https://www.cutcommonmag.com/on-the-podium-with-conductor-jessica-gethin/ 66
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* 2015 – Won the Brian Stacey Emerging Australian Conductor Award https://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/news/jessica-gethin-wins-brian-stacey-emerging-conductor-award/ 36] 50 55 61 [https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/piafs-giants-win-helpmann-accolade-ng-ya-121932 62
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* 2015- Presenter at the Helpmann Awards
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* 2016 – Received a Winston Churchill Fellowship for Performance Excellence in Classical Music https://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/news/conductor-and-clarinettist-awarded-churchill-fellowships/ 37] [https://www.businessnews.com.au/Person/Jessica-Gethin 50
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* 2017 – Listed as Limelight Top Twenty Australian Artists of the Year https://www.cutcommonmag.com/7-female-conductors-you-should-know-about/ 38] 50 [https://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/news/who-will-be-limelights-artists-of-the-year-you-decide-2/ 59
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* 2019 – Finalist in the West Australian of the Year (Arts and Culture) http://www.celebratewa.com.au/2019-western-australian-of-the-year-awards-finalists/arts-culture-award-finalists/ 39] [https://www.businessnews.com.au/Person/Jessica-Gethin 50
== Others ==
Gethin was appointed Head of Strings at St Mary's Anglican School for Girls' from 2001-2007, https://issuu.com/stmarysags/docs/fideliter-december-edition-2018-web 40 running the strings and orchestra programs. Gethin has being engaged as a concert presenter, writer, orchestrator, orchestral arranger, examiner, guest lecturer and conductor for organisations including Perth Symphony, Western Australian Symphony Orchestra|WA Symphony Orchestra, WA Youth Orchestra (Assistant Conductor / Babies Proms), Melbourne Symphony https://www.mso.com.au/whats-on/2019/fairytale-ball/ 46, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic, Musica Viva, University of Western Australia and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts|WA Academy of Performing Arts (Edith Cowan University). She regularly appears as adjudicator for festivals, competitions and music eisteddfods for organisations including the Australian Bands and Orchestra Director's Association (ABODA) https://waaboda.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/aboda-pl-14th-september-2016.pdf 41. Gethin has been the lecturer of Instrumental Conducting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts|WA Academy of Performing Arts in Perth, Western Australia since 2008 https://rosalindappleby.com/2016/07/26/celebrity-soft-spot-jessica-gethin/ 42. Gethin spent seven years as a Board Director including two as Deputy Chairman of the Make A Difference Foundation (WA), hosting charity fundraisers and appearing at public speaking engagements to raise awareness of the foundation in Western Australia. Gethin has interviewed Australian personalities including Ray Martin (television presenter)|Ray Martin and Justin Langer, and has been guest speaker for numerous charity, school and corporate events, speaking on the topics of diversity, leadership and the arts https://www.asbawa.asn.au/view/articles/20170627222713 64. Gethin was the Australian Music Examination Board’s Online Orchestra Ambassador for 2019 https://onlineorchestra.ameb.edu.au/meet-your-conductor/ 43 as well as Women on the Podium Conducting Program Ambassador (Perth. Australia) from 2019. https://perthsymphony.com/education/womenonthepodium/ 44
==In the media==
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== References ==
Category:Australian orchestras
Category:Australian conductors (music)
Category:Australian music video directors