About

Jessica T. Carter (b. 1992) is a Black American composer, violinist, mezzo-soprano, voice coach, and educator from Indiana described as evocative and lyrical by Aspire Magazine who is swiftly making a name for herself. Currently, she is a member of the South Bend Chamber Singers, the Indiana Philharmonic Orchestra, and is a Music teacher the South Bend Community School Corporation and the South Bend Empowerment Zone. 

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As a composer, she finished her first work, “Our Lady’s Son” for Trumpet and Orchestra in 2011. Specializing in concert music, film scoring, and musical theatre, Jessica's aim and goal in music composition is to exude the message of hope to all but specifically to marginalized children. Notable compositions  include "Oh, Israel" for TTBB Voices, "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 2020, Jessica was published 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 has had the pleasure of working with several renown composers and ensembles such as Marilyn Shrude, David Ludwig, and Billy Childs as well as Trio Fibonacci and the Euclid Quartet. 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