Kids Meet the Music 1 with D-Composed String Ensemble + Josh Jones

ABOUT D-COMPOSED STRING ENSEMBLE

Historians of art and culture may not currently take into full account that Black culture and creativity are a part of every musical institution's foundation that we currently see today. D-Composed, a Black chamber music collective, exists to ensure that we never forget it. 

Led by their mission to uplift and empower society through the music of Black composers, this Chicago-based creative incubator acts as a bridge between the past and present to the future of representation, music-centered experiences, and the communal power of Black composers and their impact. 

Music is not just solely entertainment, for this collective music is a storytelling tool that educates and inspires. Unapologetically, Blackness is at the core of their experience, with protecting, nurturing, and sustaining on the other side. In the middle lies their impact — the people who make up these experiences, whether as musicians, creatives, or community members. 

As a Black ensemble that focuses exclusively on the works of Black composers, D-Composed ensures to partner with institutions that have a proven commitment to communities of color. They have collaborated with Apple, Theaster Gates’s Rebuild Foundation, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, The Kennedy Center, Kaufman Music Center, and TEDx. While merging the worlds of contemporary music and classical, they have also collaborated with Jamila Woods during her appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and hip-hop artist Chance the Rapper.

The walls that exist to keep Black people out of America’s most beloved cultural institutions are meant to be scaled and then dismantled by the creative architects who are bold enough to build against the status quo. 

The meaning of the collective’s name embodies that boldness in action.

D–COMPOSED /DEE-KUHM-POHZD/ – ADVERB: Our creative process that involves the breaking down of preconceived notions, barriers, and opinions of what people think classical music should be, to rewriting our own narrative to reflect what the classical world could be. 

ABOUT JOSH JONES

Josh Jones is a Chicago native and accomplished percussionist who has been playing drums since the age of three. His formal percussion studies began in fourth grade at the Percussion Scholarship Program under the guidance of Patricia Dash, a member of the Chicago Symphony, and Douglas Waddell, a member of Lyric Opera of Chicago and Grant Park Orchestra. Jones earned his bachelor’s degree in music performance from the DePaul School of Music. He went on to serve as orchestra fellow for both the Detroit Symphony and Pittsburgh Symphony orchestras. 

From 2017 to 2022, Jones held the position of principal percussionist with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, and Grant Park Orchestra, where he is currently based. A highly sought-after artist, Jones has been a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall and has appeared on radio and television programs. His work has been profiled in renowned publications, including the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Defender, and The Washington Post. 

Jones has also been the subject of three short documentaries and has performed on two Grammy-nominated orchestral recordings. Additionally, he is the author of a percussion method book series, Spatial Studies for Hitting Things. Through his website, DrumMojo.com, Jones shares educational blogs, short video lessons, and compositions for percussion ensemble and solo performance. Passionate about giving back to the community, Jones enjoys mentoring.