About
Jackson A. Waters
Jackson A. Waters is an award-winning concert and film composer. As a recipient of the Steinhardt Scholarship at New York University, he studied under Julia Wolfe, Justin Dello Joio, and Shelley Washington. Jackson’s music has been performed by esteemed ensembles such as The Rhythm Method, The Colburn School, NYU Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, and others. His award-winning symphony depicting the Tulsa Race Massacre titled Defending Greenwood has been recognized by multiple institutions, winning him the NYU Steinhardt Composers Competition, Metropolitan Youth Orchestra Emerging Composers Competition, Greenwich Village Orchestra Reading, and earned him a Finalist position with the American Composers Orchestra Earshot Competition and Emerging Black Composers Project. Jackson has also earned a residency with Salastina, writing a work for string trio titled Shibboleth, focusing on the internal and external struggles of being bi-racial.
Beyond the concert hall, Jackson has established a dynamic presence in film scoring, composing for genres ranging from psychological thrillers to intense action films, introspective dramas, and lighthearted comedies. In addition to composition, Jackson is an Assistant Sound Editor and Sound Designer at Parabolic NY, contributing to projects for Netflix, Disney, HBO, and more.
Jackson’s work extends to the fine arts, collaborating with painter Ari Kim on Mae-Deup (매듭), a multi-sensory exhibit exploring In-Yeon (인연), a Korean concept of fate and human connection. Each painting in the exhibit was accompanied by Jackson’s original compositions, accessible via Bluetooth beacons that allowed audiences to experience the music in direct relation to the artwork. His EP, In-Yeon, can be listened from any music streaming service.
Jackson is also a conductor and trumpet player, performing with the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra and conducting many musical works with the NYU Broadway Orchestra under the direction of Theodore Sperling, including Street Scene, Sweeney Todd, and Jesus Christ Superstar.
Internationally, Jackson has worked with Beata Hlavenkova and the S.V.A Trio in Prague, recording in historic venues such as the 13th-century St. Nicholas Church. His experimental approach to concert music includes integrating audio sampling and real-time audience interaction through mobile devices, expanding the possibilities of live performance. While in PRague he started uploading his works onto streaming platforms including NoMad, Hold Me & Let Go, and Mangondo Postlude.
As a natural extension of his passion for collaboration, Jackson founded Live Room Music, a recorded and filmed performance series that provides an inclusive space for the audience to sit within the music, immersed in a home-like setting. By breaking away from centuries-old formalities, Live Room showcases artists from different genres collaborating with classical ensembles in intimate venues. Through Live Room, Jackson has worked with celebrated artists such as Caroline Shaw and her group Ringdown, Katie Lynn Sharbaugh, Takeo, and COULOU, while also arranging and recording with Devon Gates, June Cavlan, MARI, Autumn Jones, and Isea.
Jackson A. Waters is a composer, conductor, and innovator dedicated to crafting musical experiences that transcend boundaries between genres, disciplines, and audiences. Whether through symphonic works, film scores, immersive art collaborations, or live performance experiments, his music seeks to connect, challenge, and inspire.