Justin S Kinchen is a Miami-based violinist, trumpeter, conductor, and composer from Indianapolis, Indiana. Under the tutelage of Professors Scott Flavin and Brian Lynch, Justin continues to develop his diverse gifts at the Frost School of Music. Through his breadth of experience in both the jazz and classical worlds, he seeks to combine his influences into a unique musical voice present in each of his works. 

Beginning his violin studies at the age of four and trumpet at nine, he has been committed to his lifelong passion ever since. Growing up in Indianapolis, he was a very active member of its prestigious music community. He was a leader in the Indianapolis Youth Orchestra during his decade-long involvement, including as concertmaster in his senior year.  He was a selected performer in the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Side by Side competition for three years consecutively. He was selected as a first violinist in the Indiana All-State Orchestra, a trumpeter in the All-State Honor Band, and the All-State Jazz Band. He has been a member of orchestras that have performed in halls such as the Palladium, Hilbert Circle Theater, the Arsht Center, and Carnegie Hall. 

In college, he has been selected to perform in a range of concerts with world-class talent. He performed as part of the orchestra in the world premiere of the opera “The Leopard” to both audience and critical acclaim, performed in the 25th annual Melton Mustafa Jazz Festival with his band, was selected to perform in an open rehearsal with Joshua Bell and the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields Orchestra, and performed with Arturo Sandoval for the filming of his HBO Documentary. 

In 2022, he released a collection of projects featuring classical recordings and original compositions. His debut violin record, Instar, featured his performance with Dr. Stephen Price of Bartok’s Romanian Folk Dances and Lili Boulanger’s Nocturne. He also released Family Reunion: A Tribute to Uncle Funkenstein, a project that included one of his mentors who was part of the original recording from the Indianapolis jazz scene thirty-nine years prior. He released two original jazz compositions, Mozambique and Painted Sky, showcasing his creative strengths and his improvisational voice. He also composed the score for the climate change documentary “Tidal Variance” which premiered at the Cosford Cinema to an eager audience.