J. M. Cox earned a B.M. in Music Composition and B.M.E. in Music Education from the University of Northwestern, where he studied composition with Dr. Leonard Danek (former student of Argento) and orchestration with Dr. Phillip Norris. Currently an active film composer, his works for the screen range from short films and documentaries to commercials, television segments, and radio dramas. Recent works include "From Wasioja to Washington," "Our Strange Little World," and "Born Again." Cox has written over 76 concert works, including six symphonies, four concerti, two masses and several programmatic works.

His compositions have been performed throughout Europe and North America, with premiers in Lavaur, France and Geneva, Switzerland. In 2010, his orchestral piece "Dance of the Mad Hatter" received Choice Favorite in the Midwest Young Composers Competition. His music has also been featured in several music videos, including "Star of the County Down" which premiered in April 2011 at the 516 Film Festival. More recently, Cox won the New Works Competition, hosted by the St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra which premiered his work, "Soaring" in March 2013.

In addition to composition, Cox plays flute and cello and has studied with Michele Frisch, principal flute of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra and Sachiya Isomura, cellist with Minnesota Orchestra. When not composing, Cox enjoys hiking, camping, amusement parks, travelling (anywhere!) reading, cooking and anything related to animals!