Artists Bio
Jaylin Vinson is a composer whose work celebrates the intrinsic beauty of human connection. Spanning chamber ensembles, full orchestra, opera, and voice, his compositions delve into narrative storytelling, the complexities of identity, and the pursuit of unadulterated joy.
Vinson's compositions have been showcased at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the DiMenna Center for Classical Music. His works have been performed by ensembles across the country including the New York Youth Symphony, Houston Youth Symphonies, the Oklahoma Youth Orchestras, the Brevard Music Center Orchestra, the National Orchestra Institute, the U.S. Navy Band, and the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra.
Recent projects include a one-act opera Future of Dream, with a libretto by Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, premiered at the Kennedy Center in January 2025, commissioned by the Washington National Opera. Complementing this is Look into the Wata, a chamber opera inspired by the Afro-diasporic mythology of Mami Wata, which brings to life the cultural significance of the African water deity. Supported by the Houston Arts Alliance Make Creativity Happen Grant and the Shepherd School of Music Richter Outreach Grant, Look into the Wata has been performed at The Alta Arts and the Shepherd School of Music.
Accolades include being named Composer of the Year by the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra, winning the inaugural Altus Adams Prize by the US Navy Band, and receiving an Honorable Mention from ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award. Shimmer!, one of his celebrated works, has been featured on Heifetz on Air and performed at venues like the DiMenna Center for Classical Music in NY and the Moody Meter of the Arts.
​
Currently, Vinson is pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Composition at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. His teachers include Edward Knight, Kurt Stallmann, Anthony Brandt, Karim Al-Zand, and Pierre Jalbert.