JADE YIHAI SWINFORD

Jade Swinford began her formal musical studies in 2014 with piano and vocal instruction under Cheryl Stafford Moorer. In 2016, she expanded her training to include cello with Claudia Shelton and flute with Brian Bankston. The following year, she transitioned from cello to viola and joined the Etowah Youth Orchestra in Gadsden, Alabama, while beginning viola studies with Rachel Sherrod. In 2018, during her final year of middle school, she added oboe and piccolo to her repertoire of band instruments. During this period, she was also involved in theatrical productions with the Theatre of Gadsden and studied dance with Strut USA.

In 2019, upon entering high school, Jade discontinued flute studies to focus more intensively on the viola. She remained actively involved in her school’s music program throughout high school and was a member of the Gadsden City High School Orchestra from 2021 to 2023. During this time, she also performed with the Jacksonville State University Civic Symphony as a community member.


After graduating from high school in 2023, Jade attended Gadsden State Community College, where she pursued an Associate Degree in General Education. While there, she was a member of the Gadsden State Show Band as a pianist and vocalist and studied jazz and contemporary music under Desmond Mitchell.

• Member of the Etowah Youth Orchestra for seven years.
• Member of the Jacksonville State University Civic Symphony for five years.
• Member for the Gadsden Symphony Orchestra.
• Member of the 2019 Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall in New York, New York.
• Viola player for church performances.
• Violin player for musical productions in local theatres, and weddings.

• Discord Moderator: Worked with a server of 200+ members. In the past month and a half the server gained 100 new members. It is a game based server. Managed and organized two League of Legends tournaments in a separate server.

PERFORMANCES: 

• Violinist Whole Backstage Theatre's production of "Bright Star" (9/30/23 - 10/14/23)
• Violinist Theatre of Gadsden's production of "Always Patsy Cline" (7/21/23-7/30/23)
• Violinist Theatre of Gadsden's production of "A Christmas Carol" (12/1/23-12/3/23)

• Etowah Youth Orchestra (2017-2023)
• Jacksonville State Civic Symphony (2019-2025)
• Gadsden Symphony Orchestra (2023-present)
• Magnanymous Esports Tournament Server (2024-present)
• Church of the Highlands (2024-present)
• First Baptist Church (2023-present)
• First United Methodist Church (2024-present)
• Rainbow Presbyterian (2023-present)