Simmons, Jade
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About Jade Simmons
What do the world’s most renowned stages, the most superlative brands, and the most prestigious conferences have in common? They’re bringing in the one and only Jade Simmons!
Nicknamed Classical Music’s “No. 1 Maverick,” Jade repeatedly defies expectations, delivering riveting performances and combining passion and innovation at every turn. Called a “musical force of nature,” the Yamaha artist is easily one of the most exciting and versatile artists on the scene today.
Jade spent the first few years of her career performing solely as a classical concert pianist. Following an artistic epiphany, she pivoted from playing the piano to impress audiences, to using the piano as the vehicle by which to provide the inspiration, information, and entertainment that profoundly moves them instead. The results have been, well… darn impressive!
The one-of-a-kind artist has built a one-of-a-kind career garnering diverse recognition from unlikely places. She’s play renowned halls, including the hallowed ones of the White House and the US Supreme Court, and her genre-bending concert adventures that span Rachmaninoff to Rap attract diverse audiences of all ages and backgrounds. For her work on and away from the stage, Essence magazine featured Jade alongside former First Lady Michelle Obama as part of their Style & Substance List. As one of the rare classical artists invited to perform at the taste-making South by Southwest Festival, her show was ultimately branded one of the “Best of SXSW 2014.” She’s starred in a Broadway-style musical called Lillette’s Rhythm Club, and she can be heard portraying Nina Simone’s classical years in the Oscar-nominated documentary, What Happened Miss Simone?
In her inimitable career as a concert pianist and media host, Jade has remained committed to expanding the boundaries of Classical music and is the new host of shows for both American Public Media and NYC’s top rated station, WQXR, airing in 2019.
No stranger to pushing boundaries to see bold results, this concert pianist turned world changer is brought in by the likes of the world’s most powerful corporations and institutions to redefine purpose, inspire seismic shifts in mindset, and activate audiences to go out and instantly start living more consequential lives of impact.
Her unique concert experience offers an incredibly diverse mix of repertoire from the Classics to the cutting edge, and diverse audiences have come to expect creative projects backed by riveting performances.
Ms. Simmons is equally at home performing concerts with orchestra, standard repertoire in traditional settings, and new music in alternative venues. Her touring has taken her across the US extensively in recital with orchestra, highlighted by performances at venues as wide-ranging as Ravinia, the Chicago Sinfonietta in Symphony Hall, New York’s Town Hall, Tarrytown Hall, BAM, and the Detroit Institute of Arts.
In addition to powerful performances, Jade is known for engaging pre-concert talks, dynamic kids’ outreach, and informational seminars for aspiring artists. She’s the author of Emerge Already! A Career Guide to Emerging Artists, and academic institutions like the University of Michigan, the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), and the University of Chicago have brought her in for multifaceted artist-residencies that have a far-reaching impact inside and outside of music, on into the surrounding communities.
A native of Charleston, South Carolina, Jade completed her undergraduate work at Northwestern University with Sylvia Wang. While there, she went on to become Miss Chicago, Miss Illinois, and ultimately first runner-up at the 2000 Miss America Pageant. For her Master’s degree, Jade studied with Canadian pianist, Jon Kimura Parker, as a Provost Fellow at Rice University in Houston, TX.
How to Move Like a Maverick
An empowering line-up of uncommon mindset shifts and brave, new modes of operation designed to shift your people from status quo huggers to empowered trailblazers in one fell swoop. Perfect for organizations looking to motivate their people to new heights personally and bigger results professionally.
Audacity!: Dare to Lead on Purpose
An incredible thing happens when audacious leaders dealing with the pressures of monumental change are given the tools to connect, improvise, and unlock the undiscovered gifts of their team members…breakthrough breaks out. Perfect for organizations looking to offer something other than run-of-the-mill leadership training.
Dynamic, Disruptive Diversity: A Bold Approach to Harnessing the Power of Differences
Jade’s leading the charge for diversification of the workplace with a powerfully positive approach that dares to eschew guilt and obligation in favor of curiosity and authentic connectivity. Perfect for organizations determined to be at the forefront of the diversity and inclusion movement.
Passion Empowerment
An expert in Passion Empowerment, Jade trains companies on how to empower their executives, leaders, and employees to harness the power of their personal passions for the benefit of the workplace. This program is centered on the premise that following one’s passion is not always about breaking out of an environment – sometimes it’s about breaking into your current one in a more effective, powerful, and impactful way. Organizations striving to usher in an era of heightened productivity and profit, transformational leadership, improved work environment, and greater employee happiness and retention will benefit from this program.
The Art of Growing Up Black and Gifted in America
This musical, story-filled experience is the unique, inspirational journey of Jade Simmons. Jade shares uncovering her creative identity, developing a love affair with classical music, and confronting the implications of race, gender, and faith on the future she chose. As the daughter of a civil rights activist, she learned a lot about choosing her battles by watching her father vehemently fight them all. Equally a product of her mother’s faith-focused child rearing, Jade speaks passionately about the role purpose-based living has played in building her life and her diversified career. Her insights are perfect for conferences focusing on diversity, race relations, gender studies, civil rights, and politics. This is also a popular presentation with African American audiences, women’s conferences, and emerging artists.
“In the event world, there is a difference between a speaker and an experience. Jade is not a speaker, she is a dynamic presence and personality that combines with her positive spirit and passion for impacting others to liven and add value to any event.”
– Michael Luchies, 2014 CEO National Conference Coordinator
“Jade really set the tone for us to enable a different kind of experience for the participants – helping tried and true leaders get a new feeling!”
– Denise Burkhard, Human Capital Consultant, Deloitte
“In over 35 years that I have been producing and directing all types of events, with scores of talented performers, Jade is one of the very best. Not just because she is incredibly talented, an amazing musician, an engaging speaker, but because she is just such a nice and beautiful person. She took time to treat people as if they were her friends. She is the nicest person we have ever worked with, and she killed her performance.”
– Steve Whyte, University Event Manager/Certified Protocol Officer, University of the Pacific
“As planners, by nature, we are control freaks, total perfectionists. Jade was phenomenal, she delivered, and then some! She made my team, my company, and me, all look great.”
– Barb Orvis, Senior Meetings & Events Planner, Voya Financial
“Jade Simmons as a conference guest speaker? None better! And I’ve seen a few in my day. Inspiring, challenging, motivating, entertaining…and more.”
– Jack Salzwedel, Chairman & CEO, American Family Insurance