Joel Thompson (composer)

Joel Thompson (born 1988) is an American composer, conductor, pianist, and educator. He is best known for his impactful choral works and operas. Raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Thompson initially pursued a pre-medical track at Emory University before shifting to music, earning a B.A. in Music and an M.M. in Choral Conducting from Emory University.https://www.aso.org Joel Thompson | Atlanta Symphony Orchestrahttps://www.artsatl.org Q&A: Atlanta composer Joel Thompson on "Seven Last Words of the Unarmed" - ARTS ATLhttps://www.laopera.org Joel Thompson | LA Operahttps://www.resonancechoral.org Featured Artist: Joel Thompson — Resonance Ensemblehttps://smtd.umich.edu/alumni/joel-thompson/ Joel Thompson - University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance
==Career Highlights==
Thompson gained significant recognition with his choral work "Seven Last Words of the Unarmed," which premiered in 2015 by the University of Michigan Men's Glee Club under Dr. Eugene Rogers. This piece commemorates the last words of seven unarmed Black men killed by police or authority figures, reflecting on issues of police brutality. It won the 2018 American Prize for Choral Composition and was the subject of an Emmy Award-winning documentary in 2017.https://www.aspenmusicfestival.com/students-welcome/ Joel Thompson - Aspen Music Festival and School
His compositions incorporate a diverse range of influences, including Afro-Caribbean rhythms, Black American jazz, gospel, blues, and classical elements from composers like Rachmaninoff and Ravel. Thompson's works have been performed by renowned ensembles such as the New York Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, Houston Grand Opera, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.https://www.houstongrandopera.org Joel Thompson - Houston Grand Opera
==Notable Works==
* Seven Last Words of the Unarmed (2015) – A choral work addressing police brutality against African Americans.
* The Snowy Day (2021) – An opera based on the children's book by Ezra Jack Keats, commissioned by Houston Grand Opera, and live-streamed to a global audience.
* To Awaken the Sleeper (2021) – A piece setting the writings of James Baldwin to music, premiered at the Colorado Music Festival.https://coloradomusicfestival.org/ Joel Thompson - Colorado Music Festival
* Fire and Blue Sky (2024) – An evening-length work for tenor Russell Thomas, set to premiere at LA Opera.https://www.latimes.com Joel Thompson's "Fire and Blue Sky" - LA Times
==Educational and Professional Affiliations==
Thompson has served as Director of Choral Studies and Assistant Professor of Music at Andrew College and taught at Holy Innocents' Episcopal School in Atlanta. He has been a composition fellow at the Aspen Music Festival and School and was part of Arizona State University's Ensemble Lab/Projecting All Voices Initiative. Currently, he is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition at the Yale School of Music and is the first full-time composer-in-residence at Houston Grand Opera.
==Awards and Honors==
* American Prize for Choral Composition (2018)
* Emmy Award for documentary on "Seven Last Words of the Unarmed" (2017)
* Hermitage Prize at the Aspen Music Festival (2017)
Category:1988 births
Category:American composers
Category:Conductors
Category:Pianists