About Andrés

J. Andrés Ballesteros is a Boston-based composer, teaching artist, and administrator whose work chases threads of curiosity and social justice. His compositions, praised for their “versatility of style and memorable hooks” (Boston Musical Intelligencer), blend classical music with diverse genres, narrative arcs, and a collaborative approach. Andrés has also been a leader on issues of equity, community, and representation in music, as well as a lifelong teaching artist.

As a composer, Andrés often collaborates with youth and community groups to create original music that centers their stories. These projects have focused on immigration in the USA, the local impacts of the climate crisis, and celebrating Latine identities. He has received commissions and fellowships from the American Choral Directors Association, Massachusetts International Festival for the Arts, the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra, and the MIT Media Lab, among others, working with ensembles from professional (Victory Players, Chattanooga Symphony) to youth groups (Greensboro Youth Chorus, Boston Arts Academy). His genre-crossing compositions have been performed internationally, from Mexico to Serbia, Australia, and beyond. He has written for media including short films, podcasts, e-books, and a documentary.

Andrés has been on the frontlines of efforts to reimagine representation, inclusion, and community engagement in classical music. He has worked with and advised dozens of organizations, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Ballets Russes Arts Initiative, White Snake Projects, and others on community engagement, administrative support, and artistic projects. His efforts led to invitations to speak at the National Conference for the League of American Orchestras in 2018 and 2019 and recognition as a Boston Latino 30 Under 30 honoree. He was profiled for his work as a composer and activist in Ana Francisca Vega’s book Corazón de Mexicanos Como Yo, highlighting 50 Mexican Americans who broke boundaries.

Formerly a teacher at Boston Arts Academy, Andrés remains active as a teaching artist, leading workshops at Harvard University, La Colaborativa, and public schools in Massachusetts and North Carolina.

Andrés graduated from Harvard University and holds Artist and Contemporary Collaboration Diplomas from the OAcademy Music Conservatory’s Gabriela Ortiz Composing Studio. He began composing with Jack Jarrett in Greensboro, North Carolina and is deeply indebted to his teachers, including Chaya Czernowin, Hans Tutschku, Edgar Barroso, Trevor Bača, and Erin Busch.

Though he currently lives in Boston, he has roots and family in North Carolina, Mexico, and Texas and visits frequently. Andrés also performs sometimes, mostly as a tenor with the Jameson Singers or on violin with the Horizon Ensemble. When not doing music or community work, he can be found traveling, writing, experimenting in the kitchen, or watching soccer.