Jessica Cottis

Who is Jessica Cottis?

Jessica Cottis is an Australian-British conductor.

Cottis is the daughter of an Australian diplomat, high ranking Royal Australian Air Force officer and Defence Attaché. Her older sister is immigration expert Sophie Montgomery-Male; her older brother is the musician and writer James Montgomery. She studied organ, piano and musicology at the Australian National University, and graduated with first-class honours. With support from the Royal Philharmonic Society and Australian Music Foundation, she continued her studies in Paris with Marie-Claire Alain. She was a prize winner in the 2000 Australian Young Performers' Competition. Her European debut as an organist was at London's Westminster Cathedral in 2001.

In 2006, Cottis began conducting studies at the Royal Academy of Music, London, after reading law at the University of London. Her teachers included Colin Metters, George Hurst and Sir Colin Davis. She graduated from the RAM in 2009, with distinction. During her time at the RAM, Cottis founded a new opera company, Bloomsbury Opera.