J. Andrés Ballesteros is a composer, educator, and administrator based in Boston, MA. A polystylist, his works are centered in classical music, 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, the Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts, and Harvard University among others, Andrés is regularly commissioned to create collaborative projects that engage with community organizations and youth in creating original works around social issues they face. His work as a composer and activist was recognized in Ana Francisca Vega’s book Corazón de Mexicanos Como Yo, highlighting 50 Mexican-Americans who broke boundaries.

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 continues this work as the Community Director for White Snake Projects (WSP), an activist opera company; and elsewhere through talks and consulting. In addition to WSP and the BSO, he has worked with the Ballets Russes Arts Initiative, Eureka Ensemble, In Good Company, the Narraganset Bay Symphony Community Orchestra, and other groups on issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Andrés excels in creating works for a wide range of ensembles and genres. He has been commissioned by professional groups such as the Chattanooga Symphony, Talea Ensemble, Juventas New Music, and the Callithumpian Consort, as well as community and educational groups such as the Greensboro Concert Band, three schools in Guilford County, NC, 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 participated in the Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts in Holyoke, MA; 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.

Andrés sings with the Jameson Singers, where he serves on the board, and performs with the Horizon Ensemble. In his free time, Andrés volunteers in local musical and social initiatives, including Boston Hope Music (2020-2021), a platform providing hope and healing through music for those at the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. When not doing music or community work, he can be found cooking, traveling, or watching movies.