Jazz musician and composer Anna Meadors is passionate, hard-working, and musically gifted. On June 1st, she shared her story with Linganore’s music theory class and told them about her life as a musician and composer.

After graduating from LHS in 2007, Meadors completed her undergraduate degree in music at the Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins University. This year, she finished her Master’s Degree in Music Composition at the University of North Carolina and will be begin her PhD at Princeton in the fall.

Meadors said, “If you had told me I would be composing when I was a senior in high school, I wouldn’t have believed you.”

Even as a student, Meadors was incredibly talented. She showed great prowess with the saxophone and was the only freshman selected for the Jazz Ensemble.

Her high school music instructor Kevin Lloyd said, “She demonstrated a great proficiency for music at such a young age.”

While she has always had a passion for music, Meadors didn’t discover her love for composition until her senior year. She said, “My friends and I would always go into a back room and start playing for fun, improvising our own music. It was around that time I knew that I wanted to be a composer and create my own music.”

Meadors is currently composing and performing with two Baltimore based bands, Joy on Fire and Three Red Crowns. Joy on Fire is about to release their second album after completing a residency at “The Cupping Room,” a concert venue in NYC. She has also performed as a solo artist at numerous music festivals.

Her composing style is a mix of rock, jazz, and something that is uniquely her own invention. She said, “I really like delicate music, but also really intense music, so I try to find a balance between those in my pieces.”

Anna Meadors has demonstrated tenacity and drive in her relentless pursuit of her dreams. Her life in the music industry hasn’t been glamorous, but she didn’t voice any complaints about the difficulties she has faced.

To aspiring musicians she offers this advice, “Find the people that you love to work with and who love creating music with you. Ultimately, finding your tribe will bring you success and happiness.”

Listen to a sample of her work, “Hey Hey!” from the second album of Joy on Fire.