Jessica Mathaes

Jessica Mathaes is a Part-Time Assistant Professor of Violin at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where she teaches violin and chamber music. She joined the music faculty in the fall of 2022, bringing her extensive international performance experience to the academic setting.

Mathaes earned performance degrees in violin and viola from Rice University, graduating magna cum laude. Born in Chicago and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, she was concertmaster of the Omaha Area Youth Orchestra and made her solo debut at age 16 performing the Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No. 3. She was also an award-winning pianist during her youth.

Hailed by The New York Times as 'a violinist like no other' and by the Austin Chronicle as 'a master of the Khachaturian violin concerto,' Mathaes enjoys an international career as a soloist, recording artist, educator, and concertmaster. Her expertise spans violin performance, viola, chamber music, and orchestra. As a concertmaster, she has led the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, and the Austin Symphony Orchestra. In 2005 at age 25, she became both the youngest and first female concertmaster of the Austin Symphony in its 100+ year history.

Her creative works include the critically acclaimed album 'Violin Works of Paul Reale' (2014) which explores contemporary American compositions, and 'Suites and Sweets' (2013) featuring diverse classical works from international traditions. These recordings have received praise in Gramophone magazine.

• Violin Works of Paul Reale (2014) showcases premieres of works by American composers
• Suites and Sweets (2013) demonstrates versatility across various musical styles and periods

Mathaes has served on the faculty of the Credo Music Festival, the International Festival-Institute at Round Top, the National Music Festival, and other prestigious music programs. She has mentored students who have gone on to attend top music schools in the United States.

Her professional achievements include a three-month appointment as Associate Concertmaster of the Auckland Philharmonia in New Zealand, selected through an international audition process. She has performed as a soloist with numerous orchestras worldwide and has been broadcast on Performance Today and Chicago Public Radio.