Jake Berran (b. 2002) is a composer, pianist, conductor, percussionist, vocalist, and educator currently pursuing his master’s degree in composition at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. He believes that music is uniquely captivating, potent, and ambiguous, bringing powerful communal experiences while inspiring self-reflection and learning. Jake grew up in Minnesota and attended Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music, where he was awarded the Walter E. Aschaffenburg Prize for outstanding music composition and graduated with a B.M. in Composition and a B.A. in Mathematics. His music ranges from solos to choral-orchestral works and employs varied techniques such as electronics, theatrics, and microtonality. Jake is also active in the musical theatre world. Most recently, he co-wrote, music directed, and produced the cast album for the new musical All In Your Mind and played keyboard for the College Light Opera Company. Jake received an Honorable Mention in the ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Awards in 2025, and his music has been performed by groups such as Sandbox Percussion, Kinetic Ensemble, White Snake Projects, Unheard-of//Ensemble, the Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble, Oberlin College Choir, and Minnesota Sinfonia.