Jennifer Whittle

Jennifer Whittle began her violin studies in Portland, Oregon at the age of 10. After graduating high school, she traveled to Los Angeles to study under Lyndon Taylor at the University of Southern California. While in Los Angeles, Jennifer performed under conductors such as Sergiu Commisiona, John Williams, and Carl St. Clair and participated in master classes with the Ysaÿe, Takaçs and Emerson String Quartets. She completed a Master’s degree in Violin Performance at the University of Victoria, where she studied with Sharon Stanis and members of the Lafayette String Quartet.

After graduating, Jennifer won an audition with the Vancouver Island Symphony Orchestra and became the Assistant Principal Second Violin. While living in Victoria, she performed frequently with the Victoria Symphony, Palm Court Light Orchestra, Galiano Ensemble and maintained a full teaching studio. She has also performed with the Oregon Symphony, Portland Opera Orchestra, Oregon Ballet Theatre Orchestra, Portland Festival Symphony, Boise Philharmonic, Yakima Symphony and National Repertory Orchestra among others. Jennifer currently performs as a member of the Chattanooga, Huntsville, Mobile, Pensacola, Tuscaloosa, Gadsden, and Meridian Symphonies. She also greatly enjoys chamber music and is a founding member of the Saturna Trio and Ezra String Quartet, and as a chamber musician has performed many concerts in the United States and Canada.

As a teacher, Jennifer draws from a range of teaching methods and ideas. She has taken Suzuki teacher training with Judy Bossuat-Gallic, Cathy Lee, Amanda Schubert, and Nancy Jackson, attended workshops with Mimi Zweig and Darcy Drexler, and is influenced by the ideas of Paul Rolland and Ivan Galamian. She believes playing the violin is fun, and is the most fun when it is played well!