After filling in for his friend and Concertmaster Larry Shapiro, Jesse Hawkins has been part of the CSO family ever since. Read more about Jesse here. 

My mother was a professional violinist and teacher of violin so music was in my home growing up a lot. I have performed with the CSO since its early years! Professionally I am a pharmacist who spent time in retail practice. I am now in nursing home practice with 11 years of marketing and purchasing for a local drug chain in the middle of the two specialties as a practicing pharmacist.

I was born in Vienna, Austria and have played the violin as a serious avocation since the 5th grade. Preparing for and then playing a concert of music as part of a passionate group of musicians is a personal challenge and an incredibly rewarding experience. I am an Electrical Engineer and serve as president and technical manager of a small company in Fishers, Ind. that represents a Cologne, Germany-based manufacturing company.

I play in the Carmel Symphony Orchestra because of my passion for classical music. Playing time-renowned masterworks is always a privilege! Music-making with a group is always fun and helps me de-stress. I am currently a resident physician in radiation oncology in downtown Indianapolis. I started playing piano when I was 8 and violin when I was 14.

It’s truly an honor for me to play. I can’t imagine not playing in an orchestra. I started viola at age 9 and haven’t stopped! My first community orchestra experience with professional musicians was in Penfield, NY when I was in high school. I love making music with my talented colleagues. They inspire me and teach me to be the best musician I can be. I teach high school German classes (Levels 1-AP) at Warren Central High School. I love working with my students and traveling to Germany with them. One way I connect with my students is through German music of all varieties. Music is important to my students, and it helps them learn about and understand the German culture. I also organize and coordinate the Staatskongress high school German student convention at Ball State every year. 

There are no words to adequately describe the elation I feel at the end of a great performance, knowing we all accomplished it, for each other, together.  I am now one of the longest-tenured members of the CSO — since 1984 — and I consider myself so very lucky to have had the great opportunity to be a part of this tremendous organization for all these years. In my “day job,” I am the Director of Bands at Greenfield Central Junior High School.

Music is a means for me to express what I cannot say in words.  I feel so fortunate to have been a part of the Carmel Symphony Orchestra since 1992.  Apart from music, I teach chemistry to students at Carmel High School