From an early age Jessica’s niche for music was evident, and fostered by her mother at home. She started formal lessons at the age of 9 under Beth Fox, and began composing and arranging on the piano at the age of fifteen. She was an active participant classical and composition competitions and festivals, receiving a variety of recognitions and awards on a state and National level.

After high school she continued her pursuits in piano pedagogy under the instruction of Dr. Jon Ensminger, and eventually earned a piano performance certification through the Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto, Canada under Olivia Val Cresswell. With a keen ear for good music, improvisational skills, and a quick learner, her musical genre abilities range from Classical to music theater, jazz, and easy listening. She has worked side by side with some of Charleston’s most influential legendary individuals and groups in the Fine Arts scene, such as Robert Ivy, Emily Remington, Brad Moranz, Laura Ball, Robbi Kenney, Charlton Singleton, Dr. Julia Harlow and more. Her skill at Sacred music has granted her the opportunity to play at a variety of historic church grounds (listed at bottom of page). Her album “Grace Notes” (2016) is a culmination of her musical influences for the first twenty-five years of her life, which she debuted at Old St. Andrews Parish in 2018 to honor her father’s life and impact on military racial equality during the Cold War.  Jessica continues to compose music that is primarily inspired by beautiful Lowcountry scenery, random poetry, and the daily ins and outs of “mom life” of three girls.

Experience 

Un-edited Concert Series, 2010

A Class Act (Woodwinds), 2010

Dirty Blonde (Conductor, Pianist) South of Broadway Theater, 2010 

White Christmas (Woodwinds), Footlight Players Theater, 2010

Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Footlight Players Theater, 2010

Wilmington Performing Arts Center, Guest Vocalist 2012

Jazz Artist of Charleston Performance Series, Collaborative Vocalist 2012

Moranz Entertainment, synthesizer 2015 – 2018

Hairspray, 2016

Beauty and the Beast, 2017

Sister Act, Charleston Stage Company 2017

Mama Mia (substitute), Charleston Stage Company 2017

Matilda, Midtown Productions, keyboard 2019

Amahl and the Night Visitors, 2019

Historic Church Site Music Experience: 

Strawberry Chapel: the only remaining structure from the 1707 Childsbury settlement (Registered National Historic Landmark), Autumn Ceremony Organist 2009

St. James Church, Goose Creek, SC: “Lo Sunday” Parish Organist 2010 – Current. (Registered National Historic Landmark)

Mepkin Abbey: St. Francis Retreat Center Opening Ceremony Pianist: one of only 15 Cistercian Trappist monasteries in North America and the only one in South Carolina.

Old St. Andrews Parish Church : oldest surviving structure used for worship south of Virginia. It is South Carolina’s only remaining colonial cruciform church. Parish Organist / Pianist 2017-2018

Second Presbyterian Church: the oldest edifice of this denomination in Charleston, and is on the National Register of Historic Place. Piano, Voice, Collaborative Efforts 2014-2017