JULIO VILLEDA (b. 2003) is a composer and music educator hailing from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex in Texas. His passion for singing was apparent from a young age, beginning with his involvement as a singer in church and later through participation in several choral ensembles. Thanks to the influence of numerous music teachers over the years, Mr. Villeda decided to pursue a career in education while cultivating a passion for singing and writing music for various genres, including choral, vocal, and string literature. Mr. Villeda will graduate in December 2025 from East Texas A&M University after completing his student teacher residency in Garland ISD. Most recently at East Texas A&M, Mr. Villeda studied voice with Dr. Matthew Schloneger, composition with Dr. Judy Bozone, and conducting with Dr. Randall Hooper. Before student teaching, Mr. Villeda briefly served as the choir director at First United Methodist Church in Commerce, TX, where he conducted the Chancel and Children's Choirs. After graduating, Mr. Villeda plans to teach choir in the DFW area and continue composing music.

“The point was that the world of music—its language, beauty, and mystery—was already urging itself on me. Some shift had already begun. Music was no longer a metaphor for the real world somewhere out there. It was becoming the opposite. The “out there” stuff was the metaphor and the real part was, and is to this day, the music.”

– Philip Glass