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J. Andrés Ballesteros (b. 1991) is a composer, educator, and noted speaker based in Cambridge, MA. A polystylist, his works are centered in the classical music vernacular but include a variety of musical styles, from Latin music to electronics and theatre.
A Latino 30 Under 30 honoree and recipient of awards from the Asia/America Music Institute and Harvard University, among others, Andrés is regularly commissioned to create collaborative projects that engage with youth and community organizations in creating original works around social issues they face.
Andrés has been recognized for his leadership in working to expand the representation and performance of works by historically-underrepresented composers and was invited to speak at the National Conference for the League of American Orchestras in 2018 and 2019 on this important cause. In 2017, he led a team of musicians and community leaders working directly with the Boston Symphony on diversifying their programming, leading to a significant change in the BSO’s approach the very next season. He has continued this work as the Executive Director of Eureka Ensemble, an innovative musical group focused on creating social impact through music; and elsewhere through talks and consulting.
Andrés excels in creating works for a wide range of ensembles and genres and has been commissioned by several groups, such as Talea Ensemble, Juventas New Music, and the Callithumpian Consort to the Greensboro Youth Chorus, the Brattle Street Chamber Players, and the Mozart Society Orchestra. He has also written for several short films and a documentary (which have screened at festivals in New York, Boston, Chicago, and Providence, RI) and for other media such as podcasts, e-books, and apps. Previously, he taught music history, ethnomusicology, music theory, and creative writing at Boston Arts Academy.
Andrés received his B.A. in Music from Harvard University, where he studied with Chaya Czernowin, Hans Tutschku, Edgar Barroso, and Trevor Bača. He is deeply thankful for all of them. Prior to his studies at Harvard, he started composing with Jack Jarrett in North Carolina. He has also studied at the European American Musical Alliance in Paris, France; at the highSCORE festival in the Milanese suburb of Pavia, Italy; and at the Harvard Summer Composition Institute in Concord and Cambridge, MA.
In his free time, Andrés volunteers in local musical and social initiatives, such as Boston Hope Music (2020-21), a platform providing hope and healing through music for those at the frontlines of the COVID-19 Pandemic, including healthcare workers and patients. He also sings in a local community chorus and has taken leadership roles through Scouts BSA and as a faculty dean’s aide at Adams House in Harvard College.