Artist Bio

Jessica Anastasio (USA)

Jessica Anastasio is a nationally recognized flutist currently attending Princeton University as a senior majoring in Classics while pursuing a Music Performance Certificate. Her current flute teacher is Jayn Rosenfeld, principal flutist of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra. Jessica is focusing her junior year independent studies on the Greek novel Daphnis and Chloe and Ravel's interpretation of the work in his famous ballet. Presently, Jessica is a substitute flutist with the Kansas City Symphony, the San Antonio Symphony and the New World Symphony. 

Jessica was a New Young Artist with the Victoria Bach Festival, which featured three "of the country's most promising young artists." As a thirteen-year old she performed on the NPR radio program "From the Top" and entered the MTNA Junior Winds Competition, placing second in the nation. After receiving the 2003 Gilbert Memorial Performance Scholarship from the Florida Flute Association, Jessica spent the summer as the youngest woodwind player with the Tanglewood Institute's Young Artist Orchestra. In 2004 she won third place in the NFA High School Soloist Competition and first place in the Austin Flute Club Competition. She was a finalist in the 2005 International Kingsville Competition and NFA Competition, and competed the same year against 23 wind finalists in Texas to win first place in the Juanita Miller Concerto Competition.

In addition to winning state and local competitions, Jessica was a finalist of the International Kingsville Music Competition and a Silver Award winner of the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts Young ARTS program. In the summer of 2007, she performed at the Kennedy Center as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts. She is a five-time YOSA concerto competition winner and soloist and in 2008 she performed the Ibert Flute Concerto with the Princeton University Orchestra, her eighth concerto performance.  

Jessica has attended the Aspen Music Festival as well as the National Repertory Orchestra among others and has performed under the batons of such conductors as James Levine, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Leonard Slatkin and Jeffrey Kahane. She also enjoys cooking, knitting and English-style horseback riding. After Princeton, she would like to pursue her Master's Degree in Music.

Artist Interview

Jessica Anastasio (USA)

We had the opportunity to ask Jessica a few questions. Click on the link to hear her thoughts on maximizing practice time, balancing two different fields and advice for an upcoming flutist.

1. As a student at Princeton pursuing both a major in Classics and a music performance certificate, how do you balance these two different fields?

It’s been a very busy few years, but I am so glad I chose to pursue Classics in addition to music. No matter what you do or where you go, it’s important to be well-rounded, and studying something other than music has helped me achieve that. I have been able to reconcile Classics with music through reception studies, which means that I study and write about influences of Ancient Greek and Latin literature on classical music. For example, I did a textual analysis of the Ancient Greek novel Daphnis and Chloe while writing about the Ravel ballet. I have learned that studying the source texts of those more modern musical examples we all know so well as flutists makes a big impact on our understanding and performance of the music. Besides, the concentration, focus and critical thinking required of studying Classics apply directly to the skills required for practicing and performing.

2. What does a typical practice session for you look like? How do you maximize your practice time with your busy schedule?

With my busy schedule, it’s difficult to keep practicing high on my priority list. I tend to neglect practicing unless I have something tangible to work toward, so I try to set goals for myself throughout the year – an audition here, a competition or a performance there. This forces me to at least keep the flute in my hands and practice consistently.
My practice sessions always begin with some kind of long tone exercise followed by technical exercises like Taffanel & Gaubert, but I vary my warm-up depending on what I’m working on, or just to change things up. For the majority of my practice time, I do a lot of slow and varied metronome work (especially for orchestral excerpts), and record myself. But there are times when I just like to pick up my flute and, without really practicing, enjoy my instrument.

3. You have competed in and won many competitions, what preparation tips can you give to others?

Everyone has a slightly different method of preparing for competitions, and discovers that method through years of trial and error. The only thing I know definitely works for everyone is beginning to prepare the pieces as early as possible. For competitions, I always have an early goal of memorizing the pieces. The more prepared I feel, the less nervous I will be for a competition, and that includes knowing the pieces inside and out, including the accompaniment, from memory. Memorization, as opposed to adding pressure, actually makes me feel more confident and gives me more opportunities to connect musically with the audience or judges.

4. In 2008 you performed the Ibert Flute Concerto with the Princeton University Orchestra. What was this experience like? How do you prepare for the performance the day of?

My concerto performances are some of my best musical memories. When I played the Ibert with the PUO, I was lucky enough to be able to perform two nights in a row, which gave me the chance to really absorb the experience. For those performances, I tapered down my practicing as the day approached. Starting the week of, I began practicing less and less, until, for the day of the first performance, I only touched on difficult spots. Again, everyone has a different approach, but I think it’s a good idea not to practice too much the day of, and to have a relaxing day. I also try not to eat too much before a performance (I usually pig out immediately afterward).

5. How did you come to choose Miyazawa as your flute of choice?

My Miyazawa was an easy choice for me. My flute contains a combination of elements that facilitate the tone and technical accuracy I want. It provides a rich consistent sound throughout its scale. The high register allows for wide variety of timbres, from sweet and delicate to thunderous and brassy. I can easily play around with the tone colors of the low register, making excerpts like Afternoon of a Faun special and mysterious. The mechanism is light and easy. My flute is a unique instrument that I believe I will cherish for the rest of my life.

6. If you had one piece of advice to give for an upcoming flutist, what would you tell them?

Besides maintaining a balance in your life and not focusing too much on one thing (even practicing), my advice is to never underestimate the value of a hand-held recorder. You are your best teacher, but it’s almost impossible to evaluate yourself objectively as you play. Record your practice sessions and lessons if you can, and listen back critically.