Portrait of Jess Wheatley

Youth Orchestra

Jessica Wheatley

Lindbergh High School

The 2023/2024 season is Jess Wheatley’s first year as a full-time musician with the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra. She was an alternate musician with the SLSYO in the 2022/2023 season. She is a junior at Lindbergh High School and has been playing the viola for seven years. In 2022, she was an alternate for the Missouri All-State Orchestra and presently plays with Lindbergh’s Symphony Orchestra. As a sophomore, Jess performed at the 2023 Missouri Music Educators Association’s state conference with Lindbergh’s Symphony Orchestra (known as the Lindbergh Chamber Music Ensemble at MMEA) and with Webster’s Young People’s Symphonic Orchestra, with which she was a member during the 2022/2023 season. Additionally, Jess is the Vice President of her school’s orchestral performing group, Strolling Strings. Outside of playing her viola, Jess enjoys reading mysteries and crocheting.

Jess would like to thank many people for their valuable contributions to her musical development. First, she would like to express her gratitude to Laura Reycraft, her private instructor, for pushing her to become a better musician and guiding her through countless auditions. She would also like to thank Tara Landers and the rest of the Lindbergh School District Orchestra Instructors for giving her numerous opportunities to grow as a musician both in a traditional orchestral setting and in Strolling Strings. Finally, Jess would like to thank her family and friends for supporting her passion for music and driving her to countless auditions and rehearsals throughout the years.

Concerts + Events

There are many ways to share your love for music with us. From our family concert series to specialty concerts, the SLSO has Symphony events for every visitor.