Juan Carlos Ortega is serving as sabbatical replacement instructor at The Ohio State University School of Music for the academic year 2020–2021. In addition, he is a member of the violin faculty at Otterbein University, and faculty of strings, string ensemble and string methods at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. He served as concertmaster with the McConnell Arts Center Chamber Orchestra for seven years, The Ohio State University Symphony Orchestra for three years, and the National Conservatory of Music of Ecuador Symphony Orchestra for one year. He has also played as guest concertmaster with groups including the Newark-Granville Symphony Orchestra. Ortega has given solo and lecture recitals in multiple US states, and has been featured as concerto soloist with orchestras including the McConnell Arts Center Chamber Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ecuador. He enjoys collaborating with composers and has premiered many solo and chamber contemporary music works. He teaches students at the college and precollege levels. Ortega's students have held principal chairs with the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestras and have won competitions including the Women in Music Mary Lane Memorial Violin Competition. His teachers and mentors include Kia-Hui Tan, Patrick Rafferty, Peter McHugh and Gustavo Guiñez.