Music Director/Organist

  • Music Director, Sacred Heart Parish, Notre Dame, IN, Aug. 2012 – Present
    • Oversee 10 volunteer musicians and 4 paid assistants as director and conductor of choir
    • Coordinated partnership between Parish, Sacred Music at Notre Dame, and Notre Dame Campus Ministry for a $37,000 Lilly Foundation Grant to hire two professional musicians and establish a Children’s Choir program.
    • Program music for all Weekend and holyday liturgies throughout the year
    • Coordinated a partnership between parish and university to purchase an 8-rank Rieger mechanical-action organ for $160,000 and secured a long-term agreement to provide internship placements for Sacred Music students at the Parish
  • Music Director, Saints Peter and Paul Church, Mt. Vernon, NY, Oct. 2010 – May 2012
    • Coordinated a campaign to purchase and install a 37-rank Allen Digital Organ
    • Started a children’s choir and grew membership from 2 to 12 members within 1 year
  • Intern/Apprentice under Dr. Jennifer Pascual and Mr. Daniel Brondel, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Manhattan, NY, May 2011 – Feb. 2012
    • Played organ and led congregational singing of 2000+ attendees regularly at afternoon Sunday Masses
    • Attended all choir rehearsals of 24-member professional choir, including regular opportunities to conduct and rehearse

Independent Recording and Performing Jazz Artist, 2007 – Present,

  • J.J. Wright Trio – Recorded full-length album of original jazz music in August 2013, release August 2014 on Ropeadope Records. Regularly performing at venues in major metropolitan areas
  • Turn Around Norman – Experimental jazz group whose repertoire is comprised largely of original music by the group’s members. Recorded first full-length album, We Turn Around, Spring 2010, Released Fall 2011

United States Navy, Musician First-Class in the U.S. Naval Academy Band, May 2005 – June 2009

  • Performed professionally in the Concert Band, Next Wave jazz ensemble, and jazz combos on a daily basis for several high-profile military and government functions. Performed regularly for high-ranking government and military leaders and the President of the United States

Teaching

  • Co-leader, Trident Brass College Jazz Ensemble, United States Naval Academy: Co-director of 20-member Midshipman jazz ensemble, 2005 – June 2009

Carnival Cruise Lines, May – October 2004

  • Musician in show band and jazz ensembles on the Carnival Ecstasy