James Ra is a composer whose music has been praised for its “adrenaline-pumping energy” (The Star Ledger) and for its blend of expressive virtuosity and deep spirituality. Of the New Jersey Symphony's performance of Awakened Spirit, The Star Ledger wrote: “Once it caught sight of the end... it was a fast sprint to the tape.” Reviewing his Concerto for Three Violas, The Boston Musical Intelligencer highlighted Ra’s “knack for expressive, virtuosic string writing,” noting that “each movement highlighted an aspect of the composer’s deeply held spirituality and the intercessory connection to God.” His Concerto Grosso No. 1, performed by the Curtis Chamber Orchestra during a tour of Japan, had a “tremendous impact on the audience” (Japan Times), with its powerful themes of love, life, and death.

Ra’s cross-cultural identity informs much of his work. His Fantasia on Sae Taryung, commissioned by Min Kwon and the New Jersey Symphony was called “riveting” by NJ.com—“a jazzy riff on the coming of spring,” blending “Korean soul and Rachmaninoff” with “a touch of Gershwin-like swing.” The Philadelphia Inquirer has recognized him as “a composer to watch.”

Recent commissions include Te Deum for the Curtis Symphony Orchestra (Robert Spano conducting), Fantasia on Sae Taryung for Min Kwon and the New Jersey Symphony, and Ring O Bells! for the New Jersey Youth Symphony (Helen Cha-Pyo conducting). Other notable projects include Crossing for cello ensemble (the performance in Seoul consisted of a 100 cello ensemble) performed at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Seoul Arts Center; Oedolgae, premiered at the Seoul Arts Center; Found in Light, presented at the Sejong Arts Center; and Gaze performed at the Seoul Arts Center. In 2025 he was awarded a Barlow Endowment Commission to compose a Concerto for Cello and Chamber Orchestra for the New York Classical Players (Dongmin Kim, conductor). He has collaborated with leading artists such as Soovin Kim, Ju Young Baek, Sangjin Kim, Younghoon Song, Julius Jeongwon Kim, Dami Kim, Patrick Jee, Michelle Kim, Jooyoung Oh, and the Arditti Quartet. His works have been performed by members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, and Seoul Philharmonic at venues including Carnegie Hall, Verizon Hall, Kennedy Center, NJPAC, the Philadelphia Convention Center, Jordan Hall, Weill Recital Hall, the Kaufmann Center, Herbst Theatre, Seoul Arts Center, IBK Hall, and the Tongyeong International Music Festival. His music has been recorded on Stomp (EMI), Urtext, and Sony Korea.

Upcoming projects include a piano concerto for Min Kwon and the New Jersey Symphony, a cello concerto for the New York Classical Players, a concertino for the New York Flutists to premiere at the National Flute Convention, and a saxophone work for Wonki Lee.

Ra’s honors include a Barlow Endowment Commission; a NYFA City Artist Corps Grant; a residency at the MacDowell Colony; a Princeton University Atelier fellowship under the direction of Nobel laureate Toni Morrison; a fellowship from the New Jersey Symphony’s Composition & Conducting Institute; the Manhattan Prize; the Franklin & Marshall College Composition Prize; the Louisa Knapp and John Brenton Fellowships; and awards from the Aspen Music Festival and the Academy of Villecroze. He has served as Young Composer-in-Residence with Music From Angel Fire (directed by Ida Kavafian), as Composer-in-Residence with the Korean Concert Society in Washington, D.C., Ensemble 212 in New York, and Ensemble V9 in Korea.

Born in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, Ra studied with Richard Danielpour, Ned Rorem, George Tsontakis, John Carbon, Simon Andrews, and Seung Jae Chung. He holds a Bachelor of Music from Franklin & Marshall College, a diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music, and both a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts from the Manhattan School of Music.