Jessie Bartlett
Jessie Bartlett completed her Bachelor of Music and Arts (Honours) at the James Morrison Academy of Music (JMA), majoring in Saxophone, and graduated with the Chancellor’s letter of Commendation and the District Council of Grant Prize for Excellence. During her time at JMA, Jessie primarily studied jazz alto saxophone but frequently doubled on tenor, soprano and baritone saxophone, flute, clarinet and bass clarinet. She studied under the likes of James Morrison, Graeme Lyall, Jeff Clayton, Wycliffe Gordon, Troy Roberts, Ross Irwin, Carl Mackey, Angela Davis and Mat Jodrell. Jessie played lead alto in one of JMA’s big bands, which performed at the Wangaratta Jazz festival and was selected to travel to the Gold Coast with James Morrison to work with a big band of high school students, culminating in a performance at the Gold Coast Arts Centre, in which she was a featured soloist.
Jessie has worked as a woodwind musician in the orchestra on cruise ships for Royal Caribbean and Azamara cruise lines. This involved performing in the theatre onboard to crowds of up to 3000 people every night. The shows varied from big production shows with singers and dancers, to big band music, smaller intimate ensembles, and accompanying pop/rock entertainers. Featured artists she accompanied include West End star Rachel Tucker, renowned British singer Gary Williams and America’s Got Talent Semi-Finalist Brian Chetham.
As well as touring the world, Jessie has performed more locally, around Melbourne and Mount Gambier. This includes with various funk bands at venues such as the Night Cat and the Cherry Bar, with jazz bands at Morrison’s Jazz Club or The Whistling Cat or in the orchestra for musicals including CPAP’s production of Annie.
This all vastly contrasts with Jessie's earlier classical music studies, where she worked on a repertoire of AMEB grade 8 equivalent, of varying classical styles, on alto saxophone. She was offered a scholarship with Grainger Wind Symphony but unfortunately had to decline due to her relocation to Mount Gambier for JMA.
As well as being a skilled performer, Jessie is an experienced teacher. She is currently studying a Masters of Teaching at the University of New England and has ample prior teaching experience. She has taught instrumental lessons, both individual and with small groups, privately and at various schools. She has also worked with larger groups, including running band workshops and sectionals. She has improvisational skills, strong sight-reading abilities and experience arranging and composing music for jazz ensembles, ranging from quartet to big band.
Jessie is very passionate about music and sharing the joy of playing with others. She can relate well to children of all ages and is adept at engaging with and motivating them. She is also comfortable working with adults.
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