The Musicians
Melissa Pierson Barrett (Violin)
Member of the JSO: Since 1989; Associate Concertmaster Since 1990
Hometown: Livonia, Michigan
Education: Bachelor of Music in performance from Michigan State University; Master of Performance and Literature from Eastman School of Music.
What role does an Associate Concertmaster play? “The associate concertmaster assists with the concertmaster’s duties and has to be ready to assume them at a moment’s notice when he or she isn’t available.”
Musical Study: Melissa started studying violin in school at age 10 and began taking private lessons about a year later. “We had a really good orchestra program in our school,” she says. “I was also in two youth symphonies -- the Detroit Youth Symphony and the Livonia Youth Symphony -- and in a community orchestra as well.”
Why the violin? “I was encouraged to play violin by my dad. He was a public school music teacher and knew they needed more strings! My sister already played the viola, so I started the
violin… and then I was hooked. I also play the viola and a little piano.”
Performance & teaching: Melissa was the violin instructor at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas and performed with the faculty piano trio and the Houston Grand Opera. She
also spent a season with the Savannah Symphony Orchestra, and has participated in numerous summer festivals, including the Aspen Music Festival, the American Institute of Musical Studies (Graz, Austria), the Colorado Music Festival and the Lake George Opera Festival. Melissa is an active chamber musician in Jacksonville, and is also a member of Chamber Music Hilton Head She has a substantial teaching studio, and several of her students have won the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition.
Home front: Melissa enjoys home life in Mandarin with her husband Michael and their two dachshunds, Mustard and Relish. They like to howl when she practices (“everyone’s a critic!”).
Other music: Melissa has somewhat eclectic musical tastes and is a big James Taylor fan. “He performed with the orchestra and it was a huge thrill!”
Miscellaneous: The statuesque violinist has very little free time, but when she does, she enjoys gardening, movies (“chick flicks” and classic movies especially), and shopping. Chocolate is her “favorite food group,” closely followed by Mexican food and margaritas. She and husband Michael enjoy traveling.