For Jade Garcia, CMPI’s newest student navigator, all roads seemed to lead to CMPI. “[CMPI] inspired me because it combined everything that I am passionate about — my love of classical music, activism, administrative work, and working with young people,” Jade shared in a recent interview. “One of the things I’m most looking forward to is attending fellows’ performances! I am excited to get to witness their growth [through] the years of education and study. There’s nothing quite like getting to hear an artist find their voice.”
A classical clarinetist by training, Jade attended the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts as a high school student and received her bachelor’s degree at the University of Colorado Boulder. She pursued her master’s degree from Roosevelt University as a student of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Assistant Principal Clarinet, John Bruce Yeh.
While at Roosevelt, Jade honed her administrative skills at the school’s Center for Arts Leadership, where she served as a Team Manager. “I made the switch away from an orchestral focus after discovering how fulfilling the work was to me over the years. I adore performing, practicing and rehearsing, but nothing brings me more joy than to be a part of someone else’s process and to contribute to their success. For me, community is a priority, and my life wouldn’t feel complete without taking a very active part in the pursuit of our collective growth and positive change,” Jade shared.
Jade has had first-hand experience shaping the next generation of musicians as a clarinet instructor and counselor at the Interlochen Arts Camp, where she served for three years. The job prepared Jade for much more than just working with students. “One of my summers at Interlochen we deemed ‘the summer of skunks’ since there were a few living near our cabins. I’ll never forget how we would run to our cabins after late performances if we heard anything that might have been a skunk shuffle in the darkness. We’d cry laughing at the drama of it all. A perk of living in the woods during the summer.”
When Jade isn’t at work with CMPI, she is a fan of hiking, crafting, and making playlists. Marc Anthony, SZA, and Rex Orange County are some of her favorite artists.
TOP: Jade Garcia, photo by Bella Miranda.
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