“Dr. Braeden Ayres is a dynamic and inspiring composer and clinician. He expertly weaves meaningful text with accessible voice parts in his repertoire for developing voices, particularly for Tenor/Bass singers! My middle school students absolutely loved singing his music, as they connected deeply with the lyrics and found their voices comfortably showcased in each voice part. Dr. Ayres understands young and changing voices and is devoted to creating interesting, meaningful, and beautiful works that allow all singers to express themselves genuinely.”

-Sylvia Aycock

“I have worked with Dr. Braeden Ayres for a number of years and am so grateful that he has a passion for and advocates for the adolescent singer in his compositions! He has incredible knowledge and expertise of the changing adolescent voice and an innate ability to write compositions that are accessible and versatile to my singers' abilities and capabilities. Due to the challenges of selecting and programming music for middle school choral classrooms (i.e. unbalanced voicing in my mixed choirs, the various stages of the changing male voice, finding relevant and engaging musical subject matter), I look to Dr. Ayres' compositions regularly to meet both curricular and performance objectives. It's also worth mentioning that he does an amazing job of working with students in festival or clinic settings as well-- both in live settings or virtual! Although my experience with his music is primarily tied to the middle school classroom experience, Dr. Ayres is multi-faceted in his ability to write expressive, moving, and thrilling music for all ages, abilities, and voicings; from the solo voice to the collegiate/professional ensemble. You and your singers will see significant growth personally, technically, and musically by singing his works!”

-Larisa Dreger

“Braeden Ayres is an artist in his careful selection of meaningful text paired with singable melodies and beautiful harmonies. His compositions span all levels and types of ensembles. Braeden is particularly sensitive to approaching music for developing choirs with close attention to vocal ranges and his extensive knowledge of the changing voice. His experience in the middle school choral classroom is evident in the "teachability" of his compositions. Braeden's passion for choral music and choral communities is evident in his high-energy work as a conductor and clinician.”

-Carlton Kilpatrick

“Dr. Braeden Ayres is an exceptional composer, conductor, and advocate whose skill and passion shine in every piece he writes. From arrangements of relevant tunes for changing male voice, like "The Wellerman," to his emotionally evocative SATB works, such as his setting of Sara Teasdale's "There Will Come Soft Rains," Dr. Ayres's music delicately balances technical difficulty and educational substance with sincere beauty and emotional depth. His works are inherently fun to sing, while pushing choir members to move beyond their comfort level and freely emote through every song. I look forward to programing more of his works as my choirs return from their pandemic hiatuses!”

-Stephanie Helleckson

“Braeden writes for the developing musician's soul. I am a middle school choral director, and when I am looking for repertoire, his website is always one of my first stops. He understands the developing voice, giving great care to range, voice leading, and using chord progressions and accompaniments kids will connect with. He chooses wonderful texts and paints them beautifully. He's also a fabulous teacher -- a total joy to watch work with students. His unique perspective and writing style are refreshing, and it gives choirs wonderful material to dive into!”

-Evan Powers

“I have had the joy of conducting and hearing several of Braeden Ayres' choral compositions in concert. I continue to be moved and impressed by his choral artistry. His works are fresh, creative, passionate and unique. I strongly urge those that wish to engage in a choral commission work with this very special composer and man!|

-David Klement

“Braeden led a fantastic workshop on one of his composition ("Give Thanks") with my treble choir. His attention to detail, enthusiasm, flexibility, and expertise made for an exceptional experience for my students. His candor, authenticity, and knack for storytelling set him apart as a clinician. I look forward to programming more of his music with my groups, and to hopefully bringing him in to work with my choirs in future years.

-Irene Apanovitch-Leites

“Dr. Ayres is a joy. I have had the privilege of inviting Dr. Ayres to clinic with my university ensembles, and also observed his compositional works premiered by various honor choirs. He is keenly aware of the needs of each ensemble--vocally and emotionally. I appreciate how versatile he is in caring for the collegiate student, those in their awkward middle school years, and everyone in between. His vocal works are composed with that awareness in mind--not just in terms of range, tessitura, etc., but through selection of appropriate and engaging texts. Having experienced his contributions in the roles of clinician, composer, pedagogue, and teacher, I am grateful to have learned from him and seek regular opportunities to work with him.”

-Peter Steenblik