Dan Joseph is a composer, curator and writer based in New York City. He began his career in the early ‘80s as a drummer in the vibrant punk scene of his native Washington, DC. Soon after, he became active in the experimental tape music underground, producing ambient-industrial works for various independent labels. He spent the ‘90s in California where he studied at CalArts and Mills College. His principal teachers include Pauline Oliveros, Alvin Curran and Mel Powell. Equally influential were his studies with Terry Riley during several workshops in California and Colorado.
As an artist who embraces the musical multiplicity of our time, Dan works simultaneously in a variety of media and contexts, including instrumental chamber music, electroacoustic computer music, free improvisation, electronica, and sound art. Since the late 90s, the hammer dulcimer has been the primary vehicle for his music. As a performer he is active with his own chamber ensemble, The Dan Joseph Ensemble, as well as in various improvisational collaborations and as a soloist. Recent projects include the JCC Trio with composer-performers Tom Chiu and Jason Cady, and live multi-media performances with video artist Katherine Liberovskaya.
Dan’s work has been presented at Merkin Concert Hall, Diapason Gallery for Sound, Harvestworks, Roulette, Issue Project Room, Experimental Intermedia, Human Resources, Harrison House, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, New Langton Arts and other venues. He has received commissions from the Harvestworks, Music for Contemplation, Gamelan Son of Lion, sfSoundGroup, baritone Thomas Buckner, and others. Dan has held residencies at Headlands Center for the Arts, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and Harvestworks Digital Media Arts Center.
Active for many years as a curator and presenter, he currently produces the monthly music and sound series Musical Ecologies at The Old Stone House in Park Slope, Brooklyn. His writings on music have appeared in The Brooklyn Rail, Musicworks Magazine (Toronto), and NewMusicBox.org.