Excerpts from the "Your Job" column, Asbury Park Press August 2006
What do you like about composing?
I like the creativity. It's great to be able to chase this desire to write.
Suggestions for others?
I pursued education as far as I could. I began lessons when I was 11 years old, and I discontinued them when I recieved my master's degree. It was about learning music theory, keepin your ear open and learning the rules, and then be willing to forget them sometimes and write. Be educated, work hard, and don't get too discouraged by the word "no". You're going to hear "no" a thousand times before you hear "yes". Keep going, and keep trying.
Jim Josselyn
Excerpts from the Rumson - Fair Haven Journal September 2006
Jim Josselyn, the director of the Academy of Music and Drama in Fair Haven has licenced his original music for use in four television programs. Over the course of the last year, the music aired on the Discovery Channel, The Travel Channel and the E! Network. Jim explained that the pieces varied in nature from Brazilian samba to jazz and blues, and were used as incidental music during scenes from Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" and an episode of the reality series "The Gastineau Girls". (ed. note - since 2006 Jim's music has been used by the Learning Channel, PBS, VH1, the Style Network, Delta Airlines and the Real Coaching Radio Network) Jim is a master musician, teacher and published author and recieved his bachelor's degree from the Mason Gross School of the Arts and his master's degree from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College.
He explained how his love of music began. "It all started on a family trip to Mexico, where as an eleven year old boy I asked my mother if she would buy me one of the guitars that seemed to be everywhere, as a toy to play with. The toy soon became my favorite, I signed up for lessons at a now long gone studio, heard Jimi Hendrix for the first time, and I haven't looked back. I guess I've come full circle as the director of a community based music school here in Fair Haven."