Biography

Julian “Jules” Rios (b. 2005) is a Panamanian-American composer focusing on vocal and choral-related works. He is currently studying Music Composition at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee. He has previously composed commercial works for podcasts, and composed a piece in collaboration with the Sing Me a Story Foundation, which was debuted by the award-winning East Tennessee State University Chorale in 2024. 

In Late 2024, he was the sole recipient of the Teresa Bowers Endowed Scholarship, dedicated to students focusing on vocal arts activities. He is currently working on the score for an upcoming one-act stage play to be debuted in 2025, entitled Homebound, along with a song cycle based on the works of Emily Dickinson. 

Julian is a Tenor, and a member of multiple auditioned vocal ensembles, including the award-winning jazz-focused vocal ensemble Greyscale, the competitive internationally-touring ETSU Chorale, and the student-led octet Pieces of Eight. Previous and current teachers in composition and the vocal arts include Dr. Yucheng "Alex" Zhang, Dr. Neal Endicott, and award-winning conductor Dr. Alan Stevens.

Jules is also a member of the Collegiate Choral Composition Community, where he serves as a member of the advisory board. He also writes for the organization's blog, where his pieces are among the most viewed.