Combining multiple musical worlds, composer and music theorist Jess Forgione seeks to explore the sonic possibilities of music. A versatile composer, scholar, and performer, Jess leverages her theoretical knowledge to create meaningful musical experiences.

As a composer, Jess works in a wide variety of musical styles. In the concert hall, she has composed works for various new music groups and events, including Waveform Collective and the Waco Lullaby Project. Her work, Wayfarer’s Journey for piano duet, was published in the 2024 edition of the Pheonix Literary Magazine. Jess has also written soundtracks for several short films and video games; games she has worked on have consistently won awards in the Global Game Jam San Antonio year after year.

Jess’s theoretical research explores chromatic harmony across different musical styles, especially those of today. She has presented her research at various conferences across Texas, including the Texas Society for Music Theory and Graduate Association of Musicologists und Theorists. Her paper “Functions of Chromatic Mediants in Video Game Music” won the Undergraduate Presentation Award at the 2024 Texas Society for Music Theory Conference.

A passionate educator, Jess has taught private piano lessons for over 10 years and taught individual and group piano in Baylor University’s Piano Lab Program. At Baylor, she has guest lectured several times in music theory classrooms and taught music technology for the Summer Piano Institute.

Jess also remains active as a solo and collaborative pianist. She regularly performs new works by herself and other composers, including Edward J.F. Taylor, Hannah Barine, and Joshua DeLozier.

Jess graduated from Baylor University in 2024 with her Bachelor's of Music in Composition with additional studies in Piano Pedagogy. She was the 2024 winner of the Baylor School of Music's Undergraduate Academic Achievement Award.

Jess has studied composition with Ed Taylor, Scott McAllister, and Ben Johansen.