Profiles from the Pack: Autumn Maria Reed

Imagine hearing an entire orchestra play something that you conceived and created. It’s a dream come true for Madison College alumna Autumn Maria Reed. Today, Reed is a composer, teaching artist and community musician based in Wisconsin.

Tell us about your background and how you came to Madison College.
Like many teenagers, high school was a tough time for me. But I found my place by playing in the orchestra and jazz band. I always wanted to do more with music, but I just didn’t feel like my life circumstances at the time allowed for that. For the same reason, I also didn’t feel like college was an option.

But once at Madison College, I got to explore music more. I did sound design for the school’s production of “To Kill a Mockingbird”, and I took music theory courses with Brian Short and World Drumming with Tim Patterson. I was also in the Madison Community Orchestra playing double bass – the big old upright bass, which was so much fun. 

I had a lot of freedom and flexibility at Madison College that I just wasn't used to, and it suited me.  I had academic success, including making the dean’s list.

After graduating with an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts in 2012, I tried UW-Madison, but it didn’t feel like a great fit. Eventually, I found my place at Berklee College of Music in Boston. And I did a lot of that work virtually. I think Madison College taught me how to effectively manage my time, especially with online classes, and that was a big help when I went to Berklee.

What advice do you have for high school students? 
Being a person of color in a predominantly white school district, I never fit in. But at Madison College, I saw people who had similar backgrounds, and others who didn't, but I still connected with them because the environment was more conducive to that.

Also – seek support and help. The professors are supportive and patient. Madison College guidance counselor Al Studesville became my mentor. Sadly, he passed away. He was always so helpful, friendly, understanding and very encouraging. The last e-mail he sent me said, “Go after your dreams.”  

Finally, look for opportunities to get involved. I was a peer tutor for music theory, algebra and Spanish as part of TRIO program, in addition to my work on the play, World Drumming, and the Madison Community Orchestra.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?
I’m very proud of the ways I use music to help others. I'm a teaching artist at the Overture Center as part of their Lullaby Project, which helps expecting parents, including teens, write lullabies for their kids. We also have a new project at Overture Center called My Melody, where we're helping seniors write stories about their lives. I’m also involved with the Black String Triage Ensemble in Milwaukee, where we play at the scenes of shootings, car accidents, and even drug overdoses to disrupt the narrative, and I play with that ensemble’s sister organization, the Black Diaspora Symphony Orchestra. Finally, as part of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra’s Musical Landscape in Color project, I’ve had the opportunity to talk with high school students in Madison about music, composing and what it means to be a musician of color today. Last October, as part of the Musical Landscape in Color project, the orchestra performed and recorded one of my works called “Mental Health Suite”.

Raising awareness about mental health is very important to you. Can you talk about that? 
I'm passionate about mental health because I struggle with it, as do a lot of people.The everyday stresses and traumas of life can take their toll and what’s really concerning is that those stresses don’t seem to be going away. Big problems like homelessness and food insecurity, which seem like they should be solvable, continue to grow despite available resources that should help address them.

What's it like seeing orchestras perform your works?
I have a sense of gratitude because they didn't have to play my work, but they chose to give it a chance. It's just great to hear real musicians play what I intended. I have such appreciation for these quality musicians, their talent and expertise.  

Autumn’s works will be performed live this spring across the country, from Massachusetts to Nevada. Here in Wisconsin, on April 18, 2026 at the Bradley Symphony Center in Milwaukee, “Mental Health Suite I-IV” will be performed by the Festival City Symphony.