Melissa Barrett

What do you want patrons of the Symphony to know about you?
I appreciate their attendance and support very much!

Do you have any pre-concert rituals or routines?
I try to take a nap and warm up well. In addition, I avoid eating a large meal and drinking more than one caffeinated beverage.

What would you be doing if you weren’t a professional musician?
While that is difficult to imagine, I would probably be a social worker.

What teacher, mentor or other influencer inspired you the most?
There have been many along the way. One is my father, as he is a musician and encouraged us to play an instrument. Also, teachers Walter Verdehr, Robert Mann, and Sylvia Rosenberg.

What do you do in your spare time?
I love traveling, gardening, cooking and old movies. I also enjoy working with my students at home, through the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestra, and at the University of North Florida.

What has been your favorite moment on stage?
I have several favorites, but one that comes to mind is when I performed the entire Mendelssohn Concerto with the Sam Houston State University Orchestra (where I was on the faculty). I felt as though my violin was playing itself the entire performance.

Do you have any pets?
We have two dachshunds, Pretzel and Peanut. Pretzel is a chocolate short-haired sweetie (anyone who knows me can figure out why I wanted Chocolate). Peanut is a shaded cream long-haired princess. They are such a joy to us but are not particularly well behaved. For example, at obedience class, the instructor suggested that Pretzel repeat the course…

Who is your favorite composer?
This is impossible to answer because I try to make each one my favorite as I study and perform their compositions. Having said that, I love Bach, Beethoven (especially the string quartets), Brahms, Bartok, and Hindemith.

Education
Bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance, Michigan State University; Master’s degree in Performance and Literature, Eastman School of Music.