Jessica Bickford learned how to play the violin in fourth grade, but she always wanted to play the trumpet like one of her aunts. She achieved this heading into fifth grade. By the time she entered seventh grade, Bickford had the feeling of being “just another number” in a trumpet section of roughly ten players. When the opportunity arose to change instruments as she entered eighth grade, she made the switch to French Horn.
“It was circular and nobody else played it in my district,” she said.
After making the switch, Bickford taught herself how to play the instrument, a practice that continued throughout high school.
As she began the college search process, Bickford, who is originally from Oxford, Maine, found herself drawn to Castleton. Originally recruited to play field hockey, when Bickford decided that she did not want to pursue the sport in college, she continued to consider Castleton because of the Music Department faculty, namely Joshua Thompson, coordinator of instrumental studies and arts recruitment. As the department’s Applied French Horn instructor, Thompson was the person who gave Bickford a tour of campus when she came to audition. Not only did he seem to genuinely care about her as a person, musician, and prospective student, but everyone across the department treated her “like a person, not a number.”
Although she chose to pursue a degree in Music Education, given her love for writing, Bickford initially aspired to be a journalist. As she began to explore this potential field, she realized that she didn’t love writing enough to pursue it as her major, so she moved to her next passion – education – which has allowed Bickford to combine her passion for teaching with her love of music.
When asked if she had a particular song that was meaningful to her, Bickford noted that “An American Elegy” held a special place in her heart. The piece was composed by Frank Ticheli in memory of those who lost their lives at Columbine High School and to honor the survivors.
“We live in a world that’s so ever-changing,” she said. One of the reasons she chose to pursue a degree in Music Education is to be there for her future students in tough moments in the hopes of making a difference in their lives.
Bickford is an active member of campus clubs and activities. She first joined Castleton’s chapter of Active Minds as a first-year student. Currently serving as the club’s president-elect for the upcoming academic year, mental health has been a passion of Bickford’s since before college. She wanted to be involved in a capacity where she could help others. Bickford is also a community advisor, a role she filled because she “enjoys making connections with a diverse group of people."
In addition to being in several ensembles, Bickford serves as the president of Castleton’s NAfME chapter (National Association for Music Education) as well as Vice President of its ACDA chapter (American Choral Directors Association), positions which have helped her grow as a leader and music educator.