Jasper Sewell, violin

Meet Jasper

Jasper performs on Show 448.

Jasper Sewell (violin), 18, is a senior at the Center for Creative Arts in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He began violin lessons at age four and currently studies with Vanderbilt University professor Carolyn Huebl and Chattanooga Symphony and Opera (CSO) acting concertmaster Josh Holritz. Jasper has won prizes in numerous state, national, and international competitions, including first prize in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 Tennessee MTNA competition, second prize in the 2023 Nashville Symphony Curb Concerto Competition, and second prize in the 2022-23 American Virtuoso International Music Competition. He has performed in masterclasses led by numerous renowned artists, including Sibbi Bernhardsson, Stefan Jackiw, Philip Setzer, Lawrence Dutton, and Joseph Lin.

Jasper served as concertmaster of the Chattanooga Youth Symphony from 2020-2022, winning their concerto competition in 2021 and subsequently performing the Saint-Saëns Concerto No. 3 in B Minor with the CSO. Jasper has been employed with the CSO since September 2022; he held a viola C-contract during their 2022-23 season and now holds a permanent 1st violin B-contract. He frequently performs as assistant concertmaster and has also performed as second violinist with the CSO String Quintet. Additionally, he has been a substitute violinist with the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra in Huntsville, Alabama, since December 2023.

Jasper has played violin and viola in numerous chamber groups over the years and is currently violist of the FaMa Quartet, which won silver in the 2022 Coltman Chamber Music Competition and gold in the 2023 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. They were featured on From the Top show HL-38, titled “Sensational Youth Chamber Music with Fischoff”, in November 2023.

Jasper has six younger brothers who all play string instruments. He has swum since age sevem but has to confess that he hasn’t made much progress and is not very fast; however, he knows it will help him stay at least slightly in shape. But if he had the choice, he would rather be taking his brothers to Starbucks or playing Egyptian Rat Slap with his friends.