Violin and chemistry double major Seth Sagen ’26 was selected to perform violin with the Austin Symphony in their recent Masterworks concerts. He performed Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” a masterpiece of classical music which is also featured in the beginning of the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. He shared the stage with his teacher, Assistant Professor of Violin, Viola, and Chamber Music Jessica Mathaes, who is concertmaster of the Austin Symphony and performed the concertmaster solos in the piece.

Assistant Professor of Violin, Viola, and Chamber Music Jessica Mathaes performed a week-long residency in Jackson, WY public schools, working with high school orchestra students and presenting to elementary students. Mathaes is concertmaster of the Austin Symphony and a member of the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra, and was invited to Jackson this March to represent the festival as a violinist and educator. The Grand Teton Music Festival has been recognized by The New York Times as one of the top 10 music festivals in the United States.

Assistant Professor of Violin Jessica Mathaes traveled to New Zealand, where she completed a three-month appointment as Associate Concertmaster of the Auckland Philharmonia. Selected through an international audition search process, Mathaes led the Auckland Philharmonia in many concerts during her tenure, playing alongside international colleagues, conductors, and soloists from throughout the world.

Seth Sagen ’26 was recently awarded the Assistant Concertmaster position with the Central Texas Philharmonic, a professional orchestra in the Austin area. He is a violin major and student of Assistant Professor of Violin and Viola Jessica Mathaes. Seth won an audition in order to receive this highly competitive violin leadership spot with the orchestra.

Assistant Professor of Violin Jessica Mathaes performed as a soloist with the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra in Jackson, WY this summer. She also led the orchestra as concertmaster. Named “one of 2024’s top US Classical Music Festivals” by BBC Music Magazine, the Grand Teton Music Festival is an eight-week concert series that draws from top orchestra musicians throughout the world, and is led by music director Sir Donald Runnicles.