Samuel Jenkins, M.M. is a Spokane-based American composer and performing musician with experience crafting scores for short films, trailers, full-length stage plays, concert performances, and more, as well as branding music for companies. In 2022 he was one of the top five nationwide winners of the Technology In Music Education (TI:ME) “music notation” graduate student category. He recently composed the full score for a live-performed stage play featuring a forty-person choral and orchestral ensemble, and he wrote the end credits for the 2021 Los Angeles documentary “Freedom Cry: Sex Trafficking in America.” His portfolio includes collaborations with orchestras and choirs such as the New York based Houghton Symphonic Orchestra and the Eastern Washington University Choir, and and his compositions have been performed in venues including the foyer of the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox and the Spokane Steinway Gallery.

Samuel holds a Bachelor of Music in Composition from Eastern Washington University and a Master of Music in Composition from Houghton University; at Houghton University he studied composition with Grammy-nominated Carnegie Hall composer Dr. Carrie Magin. Upon graduation from Houghton University, he was awarded life membership in the American music honors society “Pi Kappa Lambda.” He trained in media scoring in the New York University “BMI 2022 TV Scoring Workshop” and “BMI 2022 Advertising Scoring Workshop,” coached by film composer professionals including Blake Neely (“The Flash” TV series) and Eric Hachikian (advertisements including “Harley-Davidson”).

A classically trained violinist, Samuel began his violin studies at the age of three and joined the Spokane Youth Symphony at nine, eventually progressing to the top of the four SYS orchestras. He furthered his violin instruction in his Bachelors and Masters degrees, at Houghton University studying with Julliard violinist Dr. Soo Yeon Kim. He has since performed on violin and viola at various venues and events including the Spokane Convention Center, The Salvation Army Kroc Center, Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral, and the Houghton University 2022 Commencement Ceremony. Notably he played violin in the North American Premiere of “Scheherajazz” in a joint collaboration of the EWU Symphony Orchestra and EWU Jazz Ensemble.

Samuel is also an online music educator, holding three years of experience in one-on-one lessons / music tutoring. At Houghton University, while studying for his master’s degree, he tutored undergraduate students one-on-one in music theory. Upon graduating, he worked at the Oaks Classical Christian Academy for two years as a private lessons instructor in violin, viola, beginning piano, and composition. Other duties at the Oaks included coaching the High School Chamber Ensemble, assisting the orchestra conductor by occasionally leading string sectionals for the Junior High Orchestra and/or High School Orchestra, playing in concerts with the orchestras when asked, and teaching the first grade general music Kodály class. While at the Oaks, Samuel also taught at Amend Music in Spokane, offering private lessons in the above subjects plus music theory, and worked at VoiceWorks Music Studio as a piano accompanist for the men’s choir rehearsals. Shortly before transitioning to online teaching, Samuel also worked at the homeschool co-op Village Academy in Spokane, offering private lessons in violin, viola, and beginning piano, and working as the piano accompanist for choir.