About
Jessica T. Carter (b. 1992) is an African-American composer, violinist, and voice coach from South Bend, IN who is swiftly making a name for herself. Described as 'evocative' and 'lyrical' by Aspire Magazine, Jessica first discovered her passion for music at the age of 5, became involved in theatre in high school, but it was not until college that she began professional study in violin and voice. Since then, her performance experience has included memberships with but not limited to the South Bend Youth Symphony, Notre Dame Symphony Orchestra, Saint Mary's College Women's Choir, Bethel University Chamber Orchestra, and the Indiana University Concert Choir and Chamber Chorale located in South Bend. Currently, she is a member of the South Bend Chamber Singers, the Indiana Philharmonic Orchestra, and she serves as a Teaching Artist for the South Bend Civic Theatre and the South Bend Community School Corporation. Additionally, she has been featured in several operas and musical theatre productions such as Verdi's La Traviata as Flora Bervoix and Bizet's Carmen as Carmen.
As a composer, she finished her first work, “Our Lady’s Son” for Trumpet and Orchestra in 2011. Since then, notable compositions have included "Oh, Israel" for TTBB Voices, String Quartet No. 1, Op. 3, "Memories" Piano Sonata No. 3, Op. 5, and "Why Does She Love Me?" A Song Cycle for Tenor and Piano. In both 2018 and 2019, Jessica Carter was the recipient of the Craig and Carol Kapson Bicentennial Scholarship in Music through Indiana University South Bend. In 2020, she was the grand prize winner of the Indiana University Symphony Composition Competition with the work, "Rancor and Triumph", Concerto for cello and orchestra. Beyond concert music, Jessica serves the theater community as a music director, voice coach, and stage technician for various productions. In 2014, she completed her first full-length musical, "Filthy," which went on to win an award for Best Original Song in a regional competition the following year. In her graduate career, Jessica was published four times, including once for her ground-breaking research, "Concert Music of the Civil Rights Movement: Uncovering the Erasure of Black American Composers in the United States."
She is an active traveling artist and has been invited to several festivals such as the Bravo! Vail Music Festival, the Atlantic Music Festival, and the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival. Jessica holds a Bachelor's of Arts in Music, a Bachelor's of Science in Biology both from Bethel University and a Master's of Music in Music Composition under the tutelage of Dr. Jorge Muniz from Indiana University South Bend.
Education
Master of Music in Music Composition
Candidate for Artist's Diploma in Violin and Vocal Performance
Indiana University South Bend, 2017-2019
Bachelor of Arts in Music
Bethel University, Mishawaka Indiana, 2014-2016
Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana, 2010-2012
Principal Instruction
Music Composition
Jorge Muniz, D.M.A., Robert Rhein, D.M.A.
Violin Performance
Brendan Shea, D.M.A., Jae Sung Lee, M.M.
Vocal Performance
Emanuel-Cristian Caraman, D.M.A., Victoria Garrett, M.M.
Awards and Recognitions
Craig and Carol Kapson Bicentennial Scholarship in Music, IU South Bend, 2018; 2019
Music Talent Scholarship, IU South Bend, 2017; 2018
Excellence in Music, Bethel University, 2016
Best Contributing Artist, Earl Award Nominee, 2015; 2016
Professional Affiliations
BMI, 2018 - Present
Society of Composers, Inc, 2017 - Present
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