Originally from Jakarta, Indonesia, Jessica Emily Margono is focused on religion and music with interests in the intersection of ethnomusicology, music and culture, and arts in worship. She holds a bachelor’s degree in theology with a concentration in church music from Southeast Asia Bible Seminary. Alongside her background in various artistic ensembles, she is passionate about community outreach, especially teaching music for children in rural areas in Indonesia. Prior to her studies at the ISM, Jessica served as a worship pastor at a Chinese-Indonesian community church, where she worked as a vocal trainer, choir conductor, and music director. Her research on Chinese-Indonesian musical identity led to a presentation at the Christian Congregational Music Conference in Oxford (2023) and resulted in a chapter for the anthology “Quo Vadis: Chinese Christians in Indonesia”, contributing to a pioneering and under-researched field of study in the country. Outside classes, she enjoys exploring arts and trying various cuisines.
