Joel David Brandon is a composer and musician hailing from Annapolis, MD. Joel began his studies on piano and music theory at the age of 6, learning the Russian technique of piano playing, as a medium for increased endurance and agility. Since that time, Joel has been a member of a wide variety of music ensembles, from jazz combo to symphony orchestra to touring ministry ensemble, and has had the chance to widen and enhance his musical experience and palate.
Joel is a recent graduate of Messiah College, where he earned a B.A. in Music with concentrations in composition and voice, and studied primarily with Dwight Thomas and Damian Savarino. During his time there, he was able to compose music for two large-scale theater productions, numerous student films, and even premiere a choral work in Vienna, Saltzburg, and Prague. As a vocalist, Joel had the opportunity to participate in the National Association of Teachers of Singing student auditions, both locally and regionally, where he earned both first and second-place honors. Additionally, he served two summers as a member of a traveling music ministry team, as a singer, arranger, pianist, and percussionist. He was also an active member of the concert choir, serving as a soloist and section leader. At Messiah, Joel had the opportunity to study with acclaimed jazz pianist Kirk Reese, and also played drums in the Messiah jazz combo. Additionally, Joel had the opportunity to study in Los Angeles for a semester through the Los Angeles Film Studies Program. While in LA, Joel studied briefly with a working television composer, scored student films, and interned at 20th Century Fox Film Corporation in the music department.
Joel will be attending the University of Miami in the Fall of 2008 to pursue a Master of Music in Media Writing and Production (scoring for film and television). From a young age, he was able to transcribe music by ear, and began doing so with the music of the great film composers: John Williams, Danny Elfman, and Alan Silvestri, to name a few. This inspired in him a long-standing love for the dramatic power and storytelling force of music for visual media and drama.