Jessica-Elisabeth, mezzo soprano
Ms. Jessica-Elisabeth started her musical career at the age of 11 when she joined the Elementary School Honor Choir under the direction of Mr. Shawn Taylor. At the age of 13, she joined the “Cor Cymraeg de Califfornia” directed by the critically acclaimed, Mr. Michael J. Lewis, in which she soon began singing as a soloist in their annual concert series. Jessica-Elisabeth began her opera training during her sophomore year at Fullerton Union High School’s Academy of the Arts with Timothy MacDougall. Here, she also represented her school at the Cal State Fullerton Fall Choral Festival in 2002, and performed as a selected soloist. She competed in the SCVA Solo Competition in her junior and senior years, and the Rotary Young Singer of the Year Awards in her senior year. It is also through the Academy of the Arts that Jessica-Elisabeth was able to perform in master classes by the world-renowned singers Frederika von Stade and Suzanna Guzman.
After graduating high school, Jessica-Elisabeth participated as a member of the award winning Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) Chamber Singers, under the direction of Mr. Bruce Rogers. With Mt. SAC Chamber Singers, Jessica-Elisabeth traveled to Italy as one of six choirs in the world to compete in the 16th Annual European Grand Prix “Seghizzi” Competition. She was also privileged to take part in the 2005 ACDA Convention, with the Chamber Singers selected as a featured choir. Jessica-Elisabeth played an instrumental role in starting the very first Operatic Institute at Mt. San Antonio College. This program, a student-run project which gave recognition to the operatic talent at the community college level—co-created with Mr. David A. Blair—produced an operatic scenes concert, a master class with Mr. Nathan Stark, and the first classical student recital at Mt. SAC.
Jessica-Elisabeth has played the role of Candelas, in Manuel de Falla’s El Amor Brujo, directed by Mr. Benjamin Makino for his Blackbird Productions concert. Jessica-Elisabeth is the featured Mezzo-Soprano/Contralto soloist for the St. Norbert’s Chancel Choir and Orchestra, directed by Mr. Porfirio Mojica. Through St. Norbert’s, she has performed in the choral works of Buxtehude, Henry Purcell, and Telemann. It is also through St. Norbert’s that Jessica-Elisabeth has performed for her first time as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Mozart’s Requiem. As a proud member of the Classical Singers’ Association, founded by, Shigemi Matsumoto, Jessica-Elisabeth has had the opportunity to attend and participate in master classes with directors and producers known throughout the world, such as Maestro William Vendice and Mr. Ken Cazan. She has performed with Opera Pacific in their production of Aïda, and the San Diego Opera in their productions of Boris Godunov, Mary, Queen of Scots, Aïda, Tännhauser, and most recently, Peter Grimes and La Boheme. She has been featured in Pirates of the Caribbean III: At World’s End as a Singing Gallows Pirate, and participated her first season at Los Angeles Opera in Francesca Zambello’s 2007 production of Porgy and Bess and their recent production of the Verdi Requiem as a chorister under the direction of Mr. Placido Domingo. She looks forward to participating in EbenSong, an African-American chamber choir that focuses on singing the music of contemporary Black composers and arrangers, and SACRA/PROFANA, a chamber choir committed to providing a rewarding, entertaining concert-going experience by presenting engaging programs of an eclectic variety of repertoire.
Jessica-Elisabeth currently studies voice with Mr. Timothy MacDougall, and coaches with Mr. Timothy Todd Simmons.
After graduating high school, Jessica-Elisabeth participated as a member of the award winning Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) Chamber Singers, under the direction of Mr. Bruce Rogers. With Mt. SAC Chamber Singers, Jessica-Elisabeth traveled to Italy as one of six choirs in the world to compete in the 16th Annual European Grand Prix “Seghizzi” Competition. She was also privileged to take part in the 2005 ACDA Convention, with the Chamber Singers selected as a featured choir. Jessica-Elisabeth played an instrumental role in starting the very first Operatic Institute at Mt. San Antonio College. This program, a student-run project which gave recognition to the operatic talent at the community college level—co-created with Mr. David A. Blair—produced an operatic scenes concert, a master class with Mr. Nathan Stark, and the first classical student recital at Mt. SAC.
Jessica-Elisabeth has played the role of Candelas, in Manuel de Falla’s El Amor Brujo, directed by Mr. Benjamin Makino for his Blackbird Productions concert. Jessica-Elisabeth is the featured Mezzo-Soprano/Contralto soloist for the St. Norbert’s Chancel Choir and Orchestra, directed by Mr. Porfirio Mojica. Through St. Norbert’s, she has performed in the choral works of Buxtehude, Henry Purcell, and Telemann. It is also through St. Norbert’s that Jessica-Elisabeth has performed for her first time as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Mozart’s Requiem. As a proud member of the Classical Singers’ Association, founded by, Shigemi Matsumoto, Jessica-Elisabeth has had the opportunity to attend and participate in master classes with directors and producers known throughout the world, such as Maestro William Vendice and Mr. Ken Cazan. She has performed with Opera Pacific in their production of Aïda, and the San Diego Opera in their productions of Boris Godunov, Mary, Queen of Scots, Aïda, Tännhauser, and most recently, Peter Grimes and La Boheme. She has been featured in Pirates of the Caribbean III: At World’s End as a Singing Gallows Pirate, and participated her first season at Los Angeles Opera in Francesca Zambello’s 2007 production of Porgy and Bess and their recent production of the Verdi Requiem as a chorister under the direction of Mr. Placido Domingo. She looks forward to participating in EbenSong, an African-American chamber choir that focuses on singing the music of contemporary Black composers and arrangers, and SACRA/PROFANA, a chamber choir committed to providing a rewarding, entertaining concert-going experience by presenting engaging programs of an eclectic variety of repertoire.
Jessica-Elisabeth currently studies voice with Mr. Timothy MacDougall, and coaches with Mr. Timothy Todd Simmons.
