Jessica Gethin

Jessica Gethin is an orchestral conductor from Western Australia. Gethin is internationally recognised for her dynamic conducting style and has engaged with symphonic ensembles across Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the United States. Her expertise as a conductor encompasses symphonic works, opera, ballet, contemporary music, film scores, to pop recordings.

Career She earned her Bachelor of Music Performance from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2002 and was selected for the prestigious Symphony Australia Conductor Development Program.

In the early 2000s Gethin met Bourby Webster, a viola player who shared her vision of transforming how orchestral music was presented to audiences and making classical music more accessible which led to the founding of the Perth Symphony Orchestra. That year proved to be a milestone in her career, as she was also awarded the Brian Stacey Award for an Emerging Australian Conductor and the Australian Financial Review recognised her as one of Australia's "Top 100 Women of Influence". and has been involved in teaching and lecturing at Australian music institutions, including as Head of Orchestral Studies and Conducting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2023.

As of 2024, Gethin has taken on the role of Artistic Advisor for Orchestra Victoria and continues to serve as an ambassador for the Perth Symphony Orchestra's Women on the Podium program, advocating for gender equity in the conducting field.

Personal life Gethin's was born into a musical family. Her father Ray Walker, an Irish-born musician and former lecturer in jazz guitar, and her mother, Teresa, a choral singer, were her first musical role models. Gethin's musical talent was evident early on and she was the recipient of a scholarship to St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School in Karrinyup, Western Australia. After graduating she became an instrumental string teacher for the school.

Gethin is married with two children in Perth, Western Australia.