Jessica Petrasek
Flutist, Performer, & Teacher
Bio
Jessica Petrasek, originally from San Antonio, TX, is an Atlanta-based flutist. In addition to maintaining a private teaching studio, she is currently the flute teacher at Georgia State University.
Jessica earned her Master of Music from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, where she studied with Leone Buyse on a full scholarship. She graduated from Princeton University in the spring of 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classics and a Certificate in Music Performance.
Jessica has been the Principal Flutist of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, the Piccolo and 2nd Flute player of the Sarasota Opera Orchestra, and a substitute flutist for the Kansas City Symphony. In the summer of 2013, she placed third in the National Flute Association's Young Artist Competition. In 2007, she performed at the Kennedy Center as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts. She was a Miyazawa Flutes Emerging Artist from 2008-2013. Jessica has received additional training at several summer festivals, including the Yellow Barn Music Festival, the Music Academy of the West, the Aspen Music Festival, the National Repertory Orchestra, and the Tanglewood Music Center, where she met her husband, Principal Percussionist of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Joe Petrasek. Jessica and Joe perform together as the Petrasek Duo, and have given recitals and masterclasses at several universities.
Teaching
A passionate educator, Jessica teaches flute students of all ages and levels. She has honed her teaching techniques over the years, tailoring them to the specific needs of varying students. In addition to keeping a private flute studio, Jessica has been a tutor of Latin and Ancient Greek, and has been a substitute Latin teacher. She enjoys keeping up her translating chops and passing on her love of languages through teaching.
Hobbies
Jessica's biggest hobby is English-style horseback riding, specifically Eventing. She can often be found at the barn, either riding, helping out with chores and lessons, or just hanging out. She loves working with horses as much as she can, and hopes to have a horse of her own one day. She also loves cooking, reading, and hiking.