Jacqueline Schmidt

Dr. Jacqueline Schmidt is a professional performing artist and music instructor in Minneapolis. Her resume and studio policy can be viewed at jackieschmidt.com.

Besides maintaining an active concert schedule as a free-lance orchestral performer, Dr. Schmidt has been a faculty member at Concordia University (Portland, OR) where she was the Director of String ensemble, in addition to teaching viola and violin. She is a qualified instructor of violin and viola students ranging from young children through adults, beginner through advanced. She is a registered Suzuki teacher with classroom experience in teaching groups as well as individuals. Her students have gone on to win contests, scholarships, and been selected for Portland Youth Philharmonic. In addition to her other activities, Dr. Schmidt has recently accepted teaching positions at St. Joseph's School of Music in St. Paul.

As an orchestral violist, Dr. Schmidt has broad experience, performing with groups such as the Oregon Ballet Theatre Orchestra, the Eugene Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Oregon Mozart Players, the Corvallis Symphony, the Eugene Opera, the Cedar Rapids Symphony, the Quad-Cities Symphony, and, as Principal Violist with the Oskaloosa Symphony Orchestra. She has performed with some of the world’s top artists, including Joshua Bell, Sharon Isbin, Van Cliburn, PDQ Bach (Peter Schickele), Christian Lindberg, Glen Dicterow, and Yo-Yo Ma. During her tenure with the Eugene Symphony Orchestra, Dr. Schmidt performed the West Coast premieres of works by John Corigliano (Oscar-winning composer of “The Red Violin”), John Adams, and Aaron Jay Kernis.

Recordings she has performed on include: Katie Harman “Soul of Love,” MAH Records, 2007; Gottschalk: A Night in the Tropics,” Naxos, 1999; Mason Williams’ “Electrical Gas“, Skookum Records, 2005; and Seraphim’s “God is Our Friend“, Gentle Spirit Music, 2004.

Jacqueline Schmidt was awarded her Doctor of Musical Arts (viola performance) in 2005 from the University of Oregon, completing her degree in only three years while holding a Graduate Teaching Fellowship. She earned her Master of Music degree in 2002 from the University of Iowa where she served as Viola Teaching Assistant. In addition, she held the position of Principal Viola in the UI Symphony and Chamber Orchestras. She also performed with the Center for New Music, giving the Midwest premiere of Paul Richards’ “Viola Variations.” She completed her Bachelor of Music degree (Viola Performance), graduating Magna Cum Laude from Northern Arizona University, where she was on full scholarship.

Her principal viola teachers include: Leslie Straka, Joel Belgique, Brian Quincey, Christine Rutledge, Alice Preves, and J.J. Swift.