Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Arts & Culture
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Arts & Culture

VPA Graduate Student Finds Her Confidence in Central New York

Thursday, February 4, 2021, By Brandon Dyer
Share
College of Visual and Performing ArtsGraduate School

Jessica Montgomery is a graduate student pursuing dual degrees in voice performance and pedagogy in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Originally from Pompano Beach, Florida, Montgomery completed her undergraduate degree at Florida State University in 2016. She mentions that she learned so much from FSU, but felt that she was missing her confidence. “Going straight to graduate school was always a goal, but I was honestly not sure about my purpose. I wasn’t as confident in myself as a musician, and I needed time to figure out my path,” says Montgomery.

Jessica Montgomery

Jessica Montgomery

After two years away from school, she remained active in the Tallahassee Community Choir. During that time, she realized how much she missed performing. “I missed taking weekly lessons, and I had the desire to take performance more seriously,” she says. “I missed singing. And I just missed that feeling.”

With a renewed sense of purpose, Montgomery focused on voice lessons, auditioned and was accepted into the Setnor School of Music. “I came to Syracuse University because I wanted a change of pace and feel,” she says. “It was a great challenge to accept and the Setnor School of Music Program has definitely shaped me. I accept challenges that are in front of me and I now feel ready to present myself in the best light.”

In addition to being a full time graduate student, Montgomery serves as the external vice president and voice department senator representative for the Graduate Student Organization, and serves as Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity province officer for the chapters at Hartwick College, Mansfield University, SUNY Potsdam and Syracuse University. Montgomery is preparing her lecture graduate recital. SU News sat down with Montgomery to discuss her experience at VPA and her upcoming performance highlighting the work of black female composers.

What did you learn about yourself in the two years after completing your undergraduate degree?

I was just missing something. I was missing that rooted confidence that all musicians are expected to have. Not having the confidence played a huge role as to how I thought of myself as a musician, how I critiqued myself as a musician. It also geared me in directions where I was in a place of standstill, filled with indecision and unsure of my next steps. I wasn’t sure if this was a career that I wanted to go in because of my insecurities. I learned so much from Florida State University, but I realized if you don’t have that strong confidence in yourself, it can hinder the decisions you make.

How has your experience in Syracuse bolstered your confidence?

I love working with all of my teachers. I like to think of them as my team because they really have played a role in shaping me on who I am today. My voice teacher, Janet Brown, is just phenomenal. She makes you feel like you can do anything, while also preparing you for challenges. I absolutely love it. It also works in the other direction. When I do bring her a work that’s challenging, she expects me to take on discipline and accountability to do my part, but she’s always there to guide me.

How does that confidence translate to your work in pedagogy?

Pedagogy is a challenging subject. There are so many studies that are rapidly developing and it can be difficult to keep up. Taking on the challenge, learning the subject and gaining the experience is definitely a confidence booster. My advisor, Dr. Kathleen Roland-Silverstein, is putting me out there to gain experience in the field. This semester, I will be teaching a beginning voice class for non-majors. Prior to being assigned to the course, I battled with the thoughts to make sure I have everything right, making sure everything is “perfect” and that I don’t mess up. Preparing for this course has already made me realize that teaching does not mean to be perfect. What it means to me is to be vulnerable in taking risk, trusting what you know and to be open and willing to learn along the way. Learning is a part of teaching.

What inspired you to dedicate your graduate lecture recital to black female composers?

I realized there is so much beautiful music written by African American women composers that I was not aware of. Sure, I know the standards of Maragret Bonds or Florence Price and Betty Jackson King, but I discovered a composer named of Brittany Boykin, who has written a masterpiece to the poetry of Maya Angelou, and I just instantly thought I just must perform this work. I am excited for what’s to come.

What have you learned about yourself in preparing this recital?

I learned that I am more confident than ever and I can take on any challenge. Preparing for this recital is exciting. This will be my first time dedicating to both a recital and to research about the African American experience. I’m excited to sing about music that represents my culture, myself as an African American woman, and that represents and tells the story of my ancestors. It’s a beautiful feeling.

  • Author

Brandon Dyer

  • Recent
  • Former Orange Point Guard and Maxwell Alumna ‘Roxi’ Nurse McNabb Still Driving for an Assist
    Tuesday, July 8, 2025, By Jessica Smith
  • Empowering Learners With Personalized Microcredentials, Stackable Badges
    Thursday, July 3, 2025, By Hope Alvarez
  • Rose Tardiff ’15: Sparking Innovation With Data, Mapping and More
    Thursday, July 3, 2025, By News Staff
  • Paulo De Miranda G’00 Received ‘Much More Than a Formal Education’ From Maxwell
    Thursday, July 3, 2025, By Jessica Youngman
  • Law Professor Receives 2025 Onondaga County NAACP Freedom Fund Award
    Thursday, July 3, 2025, By Robert Conrad

More In Arts & Culture

Vintage Over Digital: Alumnus Dan Cohen’s Voyager CD Bag Merges Music and Fashion

Bucking the trend of streaming music platforms and contrary to what one might expect of a member of his generation, musician Dan Cohen ’25 prefers listening to his favorite artists on compact disc (CD) and record players. His research and…

VPA Announces New Drama Department Chair

The College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) has appointed Eleanor Holdridge as the new chair of the Department of Drama effective July 1. Holdridge comes to Syracuse University from the Catholic University of America, where she served as professor…

Swinging Into Summer: Syracuse International Jazz Fest Returns With Star Power, Student Talent and a Soulful Campus Finale

Get ready for the sweet summer sounds of jazz in the city and on campus. The University is again a sponsor of the Syracuse International Jazz Fest, a five-day celebration of world-class jazz music and community spirit, taking place June…

Tiffany Xu Named Harry der Boghosian Fellow for 2025-26

The School of Architecture has announced that architect Tiffany Xu is the Harry der Boghosian Fellow for 2025–26. Xu will succeed current fellow, Erin Cuevas, and become the tenth fellow at the school. The Boghosian Fellowship at the School of…

Syracuse Stage Concludes 2024-25 Season With ‘The National Pastime’

Syracuse Stage concludes its 2024-25 season with the world premiere production of “The National Pastime,” a provocative psychological thriller about state secrets, sonic weaponry, stolen baseball signs and the father and son relationship in the middle of it all. Written…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • X
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2025 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.