Music has always been a part of Jacob Evarts’ family, even from before he was born.

  Jacob shares his love of music with both parents. His father, Jon,  plays the piano and sings and his mother, Michelle, plays the flute. Jacob’s grandfather played the violin professionally as a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

  “Jacob grew up hearing his dad play piano and sing,” said his mother, Michelle. “He has taken it to a whole different level. Music is what he wants to do and it is his passion.”

  Jacob became interested in music when he began taking violin lessons from his grandfather at age 10.

  “I started by taking violin lessons, and my interests grew from there,” said Jacob. “I also started playing the french horn at Locust Grove Middle School in the 6th grade.”

  Today, Jacob, at 16 years old, demonstrates his musical ability by playing in multiple bands and with multiple instruments as a junior at Locust Grove High School.

  He plays the french horn in the high school band, the mellophone in the marching band and the piano in the jazz band.

  Not only does Jacob play multiple instruments in multiple bands, but he also composes music for bands to play.

  He takes his inspiration to compose music from John Williams, who composed the film scores to some of the most well-known movies of all time, such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones.

  Jacob began composing music in the 5th grade. He picked out an online music program he wanted, called Sibelius Ultimate, and he has written music since then.

  “I wanted to write music because it felt very interesting and challenging to me,” he said. “I enjoy the creativity and the endless possibilities that music has to offer.”

    He has not received any formal instruction in composing music. Instead, Jacob looks for a melody in his head and writes it out into his composition program, which, he says, takes “only a matter of seconds.”

  From there, he builds around the melody with harmonies, countermelodies, and works to give it the best possible musical “effect.”

  “It was like he was born knowing how to do it,” said Michelle.

  Locust Grove High School music director Heather Miller is equally impressed by Jacob’s skill and states that it is unusual for an individual to have the ability to compose music at such an early age and with no formal instruction.

  “Many like myself have to go to college to take 3 years of music theory to learn the ‘rules of composition.’  It comes naturally to Jacob just like it does to many composers, such as John Williams, Danny Elfman, and Hans Zimmer,” said Miller. “He has the incredible ability to hear a melody in his head and harmonize it.  In the same way an artist paints on canvas, Jacob composes melodies.”

  By writing music, Jacob wants to challenge the stigma surrounding composing music.

  “Composition these days is not viewed as very ‘cool,’ and I would like to show people that it very much can be,” said Jacob.

  To date, Evarts has composed around 180 pieces for small to large ensembles.

  “[His compositions] have become more challenging each year as he grows as a composer! [His music] sounds like music played in theaters,” said Miller. “Jacob has a way to capture your attention and take you on a journey and that is the highest form of our performing art.”

  Jacob has had some of his pieces performed at the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) band convention and at the Henry County Performing Arts Center.

  Some of his pieces are listed below:

• Sunrise, for Wind Quintet, composed in 2016, performed at the GMEA band convention in 2017.
• Campfire, for Wind Quintet, composed in 2017, performed at the GMEA band convention in 2018.
• Wildcat Fanfare, for Concert Band, written and performed at the Henry County Performing Arts Center in 2018.
• Fanfare sentimental, for Brass Septet, written in 2018 and performed at the GMEA band convention in 2019.
• Heroica, for Concert Band, was performed on Thursday, November 14, 2019, at the Henry County Performing Arts Center.

  “It feels kind of surreal that something I, myself, had written be performed by a real life ensemble,” he said.

  Jacob was named a winner of the 2019 GMEA Composition Competition, with his woodwind septet piece titled “Journey Through The Clouds.” The piece will be performed by the Locust Grove High School band in January of 2020.

  Following graduation from high school, Jacob plans to pursue a degree in music composition.