About Joe Jaxson

Joe Jaxson is enjoying the whirlwind of a burgeoning professional career that is coinciding with the culmination of his academic pursuits as he begins his doctoral studies.

The young composer’s conspicuous rise has included an array of recent commissions, performances and appearances, including the Richmond Symphony Orchestra with his piece, "Born in the Iron Grip" (2025), “First Time Composers program | Paramount x 5 Alarm Songwriting Camp” (2024), “Joy of the Soul” with the Allentown Symphony Orchestra (2024), “Through the Bay” - A finalist for the American Prize in Composition with James Madison University Symphony Orchestra and a consortium of ten orchestras across the country (2023-Present), “Within the Flux” (2023) for Saxophone Quartet and Percussion, and “Treeflowers” (2023) performed by the Sandbox Percussion Quartet.

Born in NY (b.2000) and raised in Staunton, VA, the Jackson household was filled with the euphonious sounds of Smooth Jazz, Soul, R&B, and more thanks to his father; whereas on his mother’s side was Classical and Christian Gospel. Having grown up with these genres blended every which way contributed to Joe developing a strong ear for music and sound. Joe earned his B.M. in Composition at James Madison University in 2022, studying with professors Eric Guinivan and Jason Haney. Now in Graduate School at UT Austin, studying with Professors Donald Grantham, Yevgeniy Sharlat, Omar Thomas, and Sam Lipman, Joe aims to work in multiple mediums (Band, Orchestra, Chamber, Film, etc.) to create a diverse and multi-faceted portfolio writing everything from beginning band to experimental foley however championing his want to collaborate and connect with mass audiences.

April of 2025, Joe’s orchestral work Through the Bay, was recognized as a finalist for the American Prize in Composition within the orchestra-college division. Jumping back to 2018, his wind ensemble piece, “Fanfare and Celebration” was selected for recogni

Professional Memberships

• PRO: BMI