Raised on Whadjuck Nyoongar Boodja in Boorloo (Perth), Jesse is a performer and composer who looks to explore exciting new musical landscapes through percussion. He is in his second year at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM), studying with Peter Neville and John Arcaro. In addition to this 2023 and 2024 see him named as a Bespoke Artist with the internationally recognised new music group Speak Percussion.
He first gained an interest in the drums which he was supported by his parents to pursue, and over time, this led to his expansion into the world of percussion. In 2019, he completed a Bachelor of Music at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) under the tutelage of Tim White and Geniveve Wilkins and has since been an active performer across Boorloo. In addition to this training, he undertook lessons in New York with Greg Zuber (The Juilliard School), Jason Haaheim (The Metropolitan Opera), Rob Knopper (The Metropolitan Opera), and Duncan Patton (Manhattan School of Music).
He has been fortunate to attend the Australian Percussion Gathering in 2016 in Queensland, was selected to perform and attend at the American Triptych Short Course hosted by ANAM in 2017 and attended the 2018 Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) held in Indianapolis.
As a musician and composer Jesse is particularly experienced in live and electronic composition for contemporary dance. He has created a number of works with contemporary dance with a wide range of choreographers including “Divergent” with Rachel Mackie at the National Gallery of Victoria (2023), “Incy Wincy” with Monserrat Heras at Fremantle Town Hall as a part of Perth Fringe Festival (2021), ”Tao” with Giorgia Schijf at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) (2019), and also gave the world premiere of Louis Frere-Harvey’s work “Vitruvius” (2019) with dancer and choreographer Giorgia Schijf. In addition to this he has formed a long-standing professional relationship with friend, choreographer, and dancer Giorgia Schijf.
Together Vivante and Schijf have performed and created work as a part of The Pickle District's ""After Dark"" Series (2022, 2021), commissioned to the create “The Space Between Us” with Wesley College Arts as part of their “Connect” series (2022), perform as a part of 900 Seconds (of Movement) at The Blue Room Theatre (2021), receive grant funding from Propel Youth Arts and Drug Aware (2021), and perform as a part Hidden Movements (2020). They have also been dual recipients of Fremantle Art's Centre's Artist in Residence program (2022), Co3 IN STUDIO residency program (2022, 2021), whilst also giving the sold-out performance season of their debut work “Reimagined” (2021) at Huzzard Studios proudly supported by Propel Youth Arts and Drug Aware.
Jesse is passionate about embracing all areas of life, and can often be found embracing a dancefloor, walking through an art gallery, or riding his bike with his range of colourful shoes.
FROM:Whadjuck Nyoongar Boodja in Boorloo (Perth, WA)
Jesse is supported by ANAM Syndicate donors Sally and Antony Jeffrey, Marie Rowland.
Photo by Pia Johnson