J.T. Wolfe’s (b. 2003) faith in his work as a composer is continually renewed by his interactions with the musicians and audiences which he is blessed to share it with. Striving to always create outside of his comfort zone, J.T.’s musical language is constantly evolving, but remains committed to vivid harmonic and instrumental color, lyricism, and transformation, reflecting his belief that composers should seek to transform their listeners. Much of his work draws inspiration from the natural world – from the play of sunlight streaming through canopies of leaves in Foliage for chamber ensemble, to the mystic and alien landscapes of the Utah desert in La Sal Sketch for orchestra and Canyons for brass quintet. Other frequent interests include the ecstatic philosophy of American naturalist John Muir; the work of 20th-century poet William Carlos Williams; and more recently, the use of folk and traditional elements in his music. As his career develops, he hopes to create a substantial body of music for the solo piano.

J.T. was awarded a Sinquefield Scholarship to study composition at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where his primary teachers were Yoshiaki Onishi, Utku Asuroglu, and Stefan Freund. In 2021, his music was featured at the Mizzou International Composers’ Festival. In 2024, he studied at the Emerging Composers Intensive at Hidden Valley, California, collaborating with world-class musicians. He is currently based in his home state of Missouri.