My Story

I have been a musician all my life – my earliest memories include me reaching up and hitting piano keys, and the sound of Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic on family record albums. I always wanted to be a conductor, and have been, but I certainly never sought to be a composer – I always thought they were a weird lot. And then several years ago I began composing music. I now humbly, proudly, and happily take a seat at the table of weirdness.

I was raised in a very loving home and my parents and family encouraged and supported my musical talent from a very early age. My father’s brother, James “Jim” Moore (my “Uncle Jimmy”) also made a huge and lasting impression on me. He was a renowned choral conductor and I was always fascinated singing in his choirs and watching him conduct. No one could rehearse like him, and when I get stuck in a score I think about what he would tell me to do. His full name is James Allen Moore, mine is Jeffrey Allen Moore — I write under the name J. Allen Moore as a tribute to him.

I am proud to be a conductor, composer and arranger based in Fort Worth, TX. I studied conducting, music education, and church music history at Hardin-Simmons University under the guidance and direction of wonderful instructors including Don Hanna, Lawson Hager, Dr. Robert Brooks, Dr. Loyd Hawthorne, Dr. Andy J. Patterson, and Dr. Charles Coltman. I was extremely privileged to study privately for a brief time with Maestro Anshel Brusilow who left an indelible impression on me.

I am married to my very best friend Julie, and we have four wonderful children, all grown and “out there making it happen”! Being a musician from birth, and now having raised my family, I am looking to build a sustained career in the music industry. Years in law enforcement and private security helped financially support my family, but music has continued to be my passion in life. Along the way, I have enjoyed many unique and challenging opportunities such as starting a community orchestra, scoring an independent film, composing works for the internationally acclaimed Dorothy Shaw Bell Choir, producing original music for a documentary style podcast, and developing any number of musical ideas as inspiration strikes. My latest and most passionate endeavors include composing choral works and orchestral scoring projects. I also lead our parish choir as well as a couple of independent community choral projects.

Some time ago I heard a man speaking about battling culture. He was directing his comments at our younger generations, specifically those entering college and young adulthood, but his words stuck with me. Among the thoughts he expressed were “most of the human experience is battling self”. Truer words you would be hard-pressed to find.

In my daily life I can easily feel like Jekyll and Hyde – two halves of one whole vying for control, battling for the self. Through the composition and performance of music I combat my “bad self” by creating music from my “good self”. The speaker that evening also said “honesty requires knowing something”. The music I create and share, through God’s blessing and help, seeks to convey honesty and that which I know to be true.

It is truly humbling, honoring and emotional to hear those musical thoughts which started in my head be given a literal voice. Thank you for considering, listening, purchasing, sharing and perpetuating not just my, but all, music.

Please reach out to discuss opportunities in music production, composition, private instruction, ensemble clinics or conducting.