Jennifer Jansen

She/Her

Program Project Manager & Housing Coordinator

Program Office — Programming

About Jen

Jen started her career at Chautauqua Institution as a seasonal employee, working as an usher at the Hall of Philosophy and in the Amphitheater. Several years after that, she was promoted to Amp house manager. In 2002 she was hired as a part-time, year-round employee, working in the Program office, which is now the Performing and Visual Arts (PAVA) office, serving in several roles including Amp house manager and School of Music librarian, among others. In January 2016, she was hired into her current position as the year-round PAVA project manager. Her favorite summer “grounding” moments at the Institution are the sounds of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra (CSO), the Music School Festival Orchestra (MSFO), the Massey on Sundays and the sounds of the Miller Bell Tower ringing across the grounds.

For the past 30 years, Jen has performed as a violinist with Erie Philharmonic. She was also their music librarian for several years prior to joining the Institution year-round. She is a string coach and conductor of several string ensembles within the Erie Junior Philharmonic and has worked for that organization for over 20 years. She substitutes on violin and viola with a variety of other ensembles in the region including the CSO, Western New York Chamber Orchestra and Cayuga Chamber Orchestra. She plays in various quartets and teaches both violin and viola privately. On a non-arts related note, Jen has been working at Reverie Creamery since the pandemic, where she has discovered a new passion for all things cheese related.

Why did you choose to work at Chautauqua? What do you like about working at Chautauqua?

Chautauqua was initially a good summer job when the orchestra jobs slowed down.

Professional Affiliations

American Federation of Musicians (AFM)

Personal Interests

Cooking, baking, reading, Yankees fan, travel