Interview with Composer TJ Cole (’17) in I Care If You Listen

“I gravitate toward creating experiences that evoke big emotions—probably because I’m a ‘big feelings’ person. Death of the Poet was pivotal for me in realizing that I have an ability to translate those feelings into my work.” —TJ Cole

Louisville-based composer, producer, performer, and Curtis alum TJ Cole (’17) was recently interviewed by I Care If You Listen in advance of Curtis Symphony Orchestra’s performances of their string orchestra piece Death of the Poet on December 13 at Marian Anderson Hall, Kimmel Center, and December 15, at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida, as part of “Ray Chen Plays Barber.” Creating innovative, boundary-pushing work that often bridges the visual and tactile worlds with the emotional and auditory ones, they draw from both traditional and experimental elements, acoustic and electronic sounds, and eclectic and homogenous styles to explore fresh ways of hearing and experiencing music.

In the article, the prolific genderqueer composer discusses the evolution of their style, blurring lines between disciplines, working with synthesizers, and their improvised electro-acoustic duo, Choir Siren, with violinist-composer Emily Ravenscraft. Recipient of two ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer awards, one in 2014 for Death of the Poet (written while studying at Curtis), and the other for their string quartet piece Playtime in 2020 (see video below), their newest commission, the music was so beautiful, that i realized i hadn’t forgiven myself, and cried taps into their fascination with synths and electronic music, and is part of Curtis’ ongoing 100 for 100 commissioning campaign, in celebration of the school’s 100th anniversary.

Watch a performance of TJ Cole’s set of miniatures, Playtime, by Nashville-based group Intersection, which originally premiered on Francis Ford Coppola’s vineyard. 

TJ Cole talks about No One Questions a Mountain, their recent work about the intersection of trans bodies and landscapes with visual artist Joyce Barbour; how embracing humor in their newer works saved them from creative burnout; their experience as part of the inaugural class of the Louisville Orchestra Creators Corps program, launched by Curtis alumnus Teddy Abrams (Conducting ’08) during the 2022–23 season; and becoming more immersed in interdisciplinary work with local DIY art scenes.

Read the interview HERE, and visit TJ Cole’s official website.

Experience Death of the Poet in “Ray Chen Plays Barber” on December 13 at Marian Anderson Hall as part of an all-American program led by Grammy Award-winning conductor Teddy Abrams and featuring renowned violinist Ray Chen (’10). TJ Cole’s piece will be conducted by Yoann Combémorel, first-year Rita E. Hauser Conducting Fellow. The work will also be performed by Curtis Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, December 15, at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Banner portrait of TJ Cole by Jon Cherry. Other photos by O’Neil Arnold Photography.