Jessica Ray King is an artist-scholar of diverse tastes, talents, and interests. Her research focuses on women in music; recent projects explore the aesthetics of violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja and heavy metal music made by women. Apart from her PhD studies at WashU, she serves as an Adjunct Instructor of Music at SC4, a department editor for the American Viola Society Journal, and maintains an active performing schedule. Jessica obtained her M.M. in Viola Performance as renowned viola pedagogue David Holland's graduate assistant at Central Michigan University and earned her B.A. in Music as a student of Christine Rutledge and B.A. in English with Honors from the University of Iowa. Outside of music she enjoys cooking, traveling, swimming, hiking, dramatic poetry reading, excessive coffee drinking, and training/participating in dog sports with her Border Collie, Ronan Ginsburg Dissents.
Presentations:
“I Will Sing: Voice, Viola, & Poetry.” 2022 American Viola Society & 47th International Viola Congress. June 2-5, 2022. Columbus, GA.
“This is Not a Toy.” American Viola Society Congress. July 12-17, 2018. Los Angeles, CA.
“Eugenio Cavalli-Fantasia per la Santa Cristina.” American Viola Society Congress. July 12-17, 2018. Los Angeles, CA.
Fellowships/Residencies:
Viola and Chamber Music at I Suoni di Sillene Festival Musicale. 2023. Chianciano Terme, Italy.
Festival Artist at District 221 Chamber Music Festival. 2019. Manistee, MI..
Festival Artist at Saarburg International Music Festival & School. 2017. Saarburg, Germany.
Orchestra Fellow at Miami Music Festival. 2016. Miami, Florida.
Publications:
“Strategies for Reducing Performance Anxiety.” Journal of the American Viola Society (Vol. 36 No. 1, Spring 2020).
“This is Not a Toy.” Journal of the American Viola Society (Vol. 33, Spring 2017).
Honors Thesis:
“Ugly Poetry.” University of Iowa Honors Thesis (2014).