Joe Bergen is a percussionist
and educator in the New York Metro
area. Active in an array of
disciplines from orchestras to film
scores, dance accompanying to solo
recitals, Joe's main love is in
contemporary music where he is a
co-founder, curator, and performer
of many interesting and exciting
projects.
As a percussionist, Joe performs
and is a co-founder with TRANSIT,
which Voice of America praised for
their "expertly played..."
performance, as well as with
Mantra Percussion, which the New
York Time's hailed as "...finely
polished," and "...a fresh source of
energy."
Joe also performs and is co-founder
of several other groups including
Beaten Path Percussion Duo,
Fragile, and Kyklos and has
collaborated extensively with
Newband (Harry Partch Group,)
New Jersey Percussion Ensemble,
the Crossmen Drum Corps, S.E.M.
Ensemble, Blarvuster, Aaron Siegel
Ensemble, Mad Coyote Group,
Jason Cady and the Artificials,
Samba NY! and the Instruments,
among many others.
Bio
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Mr. Bergen has been a featured artist
in many new music festivals, concert
series, universities, and music venues
such as: Red Light New Music, Moving
Sounds Festival, Ear Heart Music
Festival, Sara Lawrence College, Peak
Performances, the Berkshire Fringe,
Mata Interval Series, NYU's Skirball
Center, Japan Society, Imagine
Science Film Festival, The Darmstadt
Series at Galapagos Arts Space,
Brooklyn Conservatory, PASIC, Bang
on a Can Marathon, and Free at the
Kimmel! to name a few.
Most recently Joe presented a recital
with pianist David Friend featuring
works by some of todays most
promising young composers including
Tristan Perich, Daniel Wohl, Chris
Marianetti, and Ted Hearne. Mr.
Bergen has also worked with and
premiered music by some of today's
most prominent voices in
contemporary music including
collaborations with Michael Gordon,
Nils Vigeland, and Dean Drummond.
Currently, Joe has been hard at work
organizing "the vibraphone miniature
project" featuring works by twelve
composers to be premiered at Tenri
Cultural Institute in NYC on June 19th,
2010, as part of a benefit concert for
cancer research. The concert will also
feature performances by Mantra
Percussion, Dither Guitar Quartet,
Transit, and the Unusual Suspects.
Upcoming fall projects include "Duo +
1" concert with Beaten Path Duo and
special guests, Transit with So
Percussion funded by Meet the
Composer and American Composer
Forum, and the premiere of Michael
Gordon's 75 minute percussion sextet
piece "Timber," funded by Queens
Council for the Arts at Queens College.
in many new music festivals, concert
series, universities, and music venues
such as: Red Light New Music, Moving
Sounds Festival, Ear Heart Music
Festival, Sara Lawrence College, Peak
Performances, the Berkshire Fringe,
Mata Interval Series, NYU's Skirball
Center, Japan Society, Imagine
Science Film Festival, The Darmstadt
Series at Galapagos Arts Space,
Brooklyn Conservatory, PASIC, Bang
on a Can Marathon, and Free at the
Kimmel! to name a few.
Most recently Joe presented a recital
with pianist David Friend featuring
works by some of todays most
promising young composers including
Tristan Perich, Daniel Wohl, Chris
Marianetti, and Ted Hearne. Mr.
Bergen has also worked with and
premiered music by some of today's
most prominent voices in
contemporary music including
collaborations with Michael Gordon,
Nils Vigeland, and Dean Drummond.
Currently, Joe has been hard at work
organizing "the vibraphone miniature
project" featuring works by twelve
composers to be premiered at Tenri
Cultural Institute in NYC on June 19th,
2010, as part of a benefit concert for
cancer research. The concert will also
feature performances by Mantra
Percussion, Dither Guitar Quartet,
Transit, and the Unusual Suspects.
Upcoming fall projects include "Duo +
1" concert with Beaten Path Duo and
special guests, Transit with So
Percussion funded by Meet the
Composer and American Composer
Forum, and the premiere of Michael
Gordon's 75 minute percussion sextet
piece "Timber," funded by Queens
Council for the Arts at Queens College.
A native of Ramsey NJ, Joe studied
percussion with Gary Fink, John
Ferrari, and Tom Kolor, with additional
guidance and study from Gordon
Gottlieb and Nancy Zeltsman. He was
a fellow at the Bang on a Can Summer
Music Institute and the Zeltsman
Marimba Festival where he served as
ensemble coordinator. His groups
have received grants from
organizations such as Meet the
Composer, the Jerome Foundation,
Queens Council for the Arts, Canada
Council for the Arts, and Brooklyn Arts
Council. Joe can be heard on Innova,
Shsk’h, Peacock, Equilibrium, and Atma
Classique record labels as well as
playing timpani on the new release of
the RockStar video game: Red Dead
Redemption.
Currently Joe is a Teaching Artist for
New Jersey Performing Arts Center's
(NJPAC) Artist-in-Residence Program,
serving the north jersey area in a
variety of educational outreach
programs. Since the spring of 2008 he
has been the director/ coordinator of
percussion at Montville Township High
School in NJ. He also consults for the
percussion section at the Jersey Surf
Drum and Bugle Corps and maintains a
private percussion studio in Northern
NJ. Many of his students have won
top honors at the regional, state, and
national level and have gone on to
attend some of the top music schools
and summer music festivals.
Joe previously served as visiting
specialist at Montclair State University
as well as teaching percussion at
Ramsey and Morris Hills High Schools
in New Jersey, Arlington High School in
New York, and the Reading
Buccaneer's Drum and Bugle Corps
from Reading, PA.
percussion with Gary Fink, John
Ferrari, and Tom Kolor, with additional
guidance and study from Gordon
Gottlieb and Nancy Zeltsman. He was
a fellow at the Bang on a Can Summer
Music Institute and the Zeltsman
Marimba Festival where he served as
ensemble coordinator. His groups
have received grants from
organizations such as Meet the
Composer, the Jerome Foundation,
Queens Council for the Arts, Canada
Council for the Arts, and Brooklyn Arts
Council. Joe can be heard on Innova,
Shsk’h, Peacock, Equilibrium, and Atma
Classique record labels as well as
playing timpani on the new release of
the RockStar video game: Red Dead
Redemption.
Currently Joe is a Teaching Artist for
New Jersey Performing Arts Center's
(NJPAC) Artist-in-Residence Program,
serving the north jersey area in a
variety of educational outreach
programs. Since the spring of 2008 he
has been the director/ coordinator of
percussion at Montville Township High
School in NJ. He also consults for the
percussion section at the Jersey Surf
Drum and Bugle Corps and maintains a
private percussion studio in Northern
NJ. Many of his students have won
top honors at the regional, state, and
national level and have gone on to
attend some of the top music schools
and summer music festivals.
Joe previously served as visiting
specialist at Montclair State University
as well as teaching percussion at
Ramsey and Morris Hills High Schools
in New Jersey, Arlington High School in
New York, and the Reading
Buccaneer's Drum and Bugle Corps
from Reading, PA.
