Voice, Guitar, Ukulele

Jess is a singer, composer, guitarist, pianist and educator living in Brooklyn, NY. Called “refreshingly bold” by Opera Wire, Jess is a composer of songs, chamber music, opera, musical theater, and contemporary classical music. Best known for her vocal works, she has written for Wet Ink Ensemble, Mivos Quartet, OperaRox, LoftOpera and New Music Gathering. Her works have been performed at the Boston Conservatory, Berklee College of Music, The National Opera Center, BANFF Center, Westminster Choir College, Smith College, and BRIC Arts Media. 

Jess is the the frontwoman and electric guitarist for indie rock band Tenderheart, which performs regularly throughout New York City at venues such as Arlene's Grocery, Union Pool, The Knitting Factory, and more. She also performs regularly in the punk-rock musical turned concert experience, Riot Antigone, which premiered at La Mama and has had subsequent performances at Ars Nova and Joe's Pub. 

Jess began her professional career as a soprano, and frequently performs in her own works using a variety of vocal techniques that she has studied throughout her career, including Balkan folk techniques, musical theater, bel canto, and folk singing. She frequently mentors vocal ensembles on genre-mixing and using alternative vocal techniques in modern music.    

A passionate educator, Jess strives to teach basic musicianship throughout all areas of study. For example, as a voice teacher, Jess encourages self-exploration and vocal health/longevity, As a guitar teacher she excels in teaching folk (fingerpicking) and rock/pop (barre and power chords, and solos). When not teaching her private studio, she works with middle schoolers in the New York Philharmonic’s Very Young Composer program.