Jessica Calandra is co-founder of FloriMezzo, “Florida Musicians Educational Society,” in 2003, and has served in the capacity of Executive Director to oversee the development, financial operation, marketing, education, and membership outreach for the organization.
Under Ms. Calandra’s leadership, FloriMezzo has commissioned and premiered new chamber and orchestral works, established partnerships with the Pinellas County Music Teacher’s Association and Pinellas County Schools, St. Petersburg College, Hillsborough County Young Composers’ Guild, the Sunstate Opera Company, Pinellas County Cultural Affairs Friends of the Arts, the Dali Museum, the newly established St. Petersburg Opera Company, Studio @ 620, the Palladium Theater, and the Mahaffey Theater.

On behalf of FloriMezzo, Ms. Calandra has competed and won grants from the City of St. Petersburg, and Pinellas County Cultural Affairs. As a clarinetist with FloriMezzo, she has been playing chamber music since organization’s inception. She received her B.A. in Clarinet Performance from the University of South Florida, and continued her studies at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Ms. Calandra was instructor of Band and Strings at Perkins Elementary Magnet School for the Arts in Pinellas County, served as Manager of Music at Patel Conservatory, taught Elementary Music for Hillsborough County Schools, and is currently the Instrumental Music Instructor at Tampa Preparatory School in Tampa, Florida.