Jessica Gethin (’97)

POSTED January 29 2025

From First Music Prefect to International Stages

When Jessica became St Mary’s first-ever Music Prefect, she had no idea it was the beginning of a career that would take her onto international podiums and major orchestral stages and into leadership roles at the highest levels of Australian music. Left with a conviction that leadership and creativity belong side by side, Jessica’s love of music grew into a life devoted to conducting, collaboration and championing artistic excellence.

After graduating in 1997, Jessica returned to St Mary’s the very next year to teach music, a ten-year stint that shaped her passion for mentorship and reinforced her belief in the importance of confident, visible female leadership in the arts. From there, her trajectory accelerated rapidly.

Today, Jessica is one of only a small number of full-time professional conductors in Australia, working across symphonic, ballet, opera, film and cross-genre repertoire. She is Principal Conductor of the West Australian Ballet, Artistic Advisor to Orchestra Victoria and Head of Orchestral Studies and Conducting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

Her previous leadership roles include serving as the Founding Chief Conductor of the Perth Symphony Orchestra from 2011 to 2019, during which time she guided the orchestra through a period of bold artistic growth and heightened national recognition.

Jessica has conducted all of Australia’s major symphony orchestras and The Australian Ballet, performing everywhere from the Sydney Opera House to outdoor festivals and major national tours. Internationally, she has appeared with ensembles including the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Dallas Opera. Her collaborations span a remarkable range of artists, including Harry Connick Jr., Ben Folds, Sir Bryn Terfel, Michael Bolton, Chrissy Amphlett and Tim Minchin.

Her contribution to the arts has been recognised through numerous honours, including the Brian Stacey Emerging Australian Conductor Award and a Churchill Fellowship, and her appointment as the inaugural Hart Institute Fellow with the Dallas Opera. She has been named a finalist for West Australian of the Year, inducted into the 2024 WA Women’s Hall of Fame, listed among the Australian Financial Review’s 100 Most Influential Women, and twice acknowledged in Limelight Magazine’s Top 20 Australian Artists.

Though her career has spanned continents and artistic disciplines, Jessica credits St Mary’s with instilling the confidence to back her own vision. Friendships formed at school, and early encouragement to blend leadership with creativity, remain touchstones she carries into the rehearsal room, onto the podium and into every new musical collaboration.