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: Carnegie Hall, The Kimmel
Center, Lincoln Center, Yale in New
York, Mata Festival, Red Light New
Music Series, Bang on a Can
Marathon, Tune- In Festival,
Percussive Arts Society International
Convention (PASIC,) Darmstadt
Series, Manhattan School of Music,
Sara Lawrence College, Cuny
Graduate Center, Brooklyn College,
NYU, Le Poisson Rouge, Galapagos
Arts Space, and Moving Sounds
Festival to name of few.
Last May Joe presented his NY debut
recital at the Tenri Cultural Institute
with piano virtuoso David Friend to a
packed audience. The recital featured
works by some of todays most
exciting young composers including
Tristan Perich, Daniel Wohl, Chris
Marianetti, and Ted Hearne.
Projects for the 2011-2012 Season
include; the North American tour of
Michael Gordon's 75 minute
percussion sextet "Timber," Multiple
offerings of Transit's Multimedia
project "Corps Exquis," and several
performances of Joe's very own solo
project "the Vibraphone Miniature
Collection" comprised of 12 new
pieces by 12 different composers for
vibraphone.
in many new music festivals, concert
series, universities, and music venues
such as: Carnegie Hall, The Kimmel
Center, Lincoln Center, Yale in New
York, Mata Festival, Red Light New
Music Series, Bang on a Can
Marathon, Tune- In Festival,
Percussive Arts Society International
Convention (PASIC,) Darmstadt
Series, Manhattan School of Music,
Sara Lawrence College, Cuny
Graduate Center, Brooklyn College,
NYU, Le Poisson Rouge, Galapagos
Arts Space, and Moving Sounds
Festival to name of few.
Last May Joe presented his NY debut
recital at the Tenri Cultural Institute
with piano virtuoso David Friend to a
packed audience. The recital featured
works by some of todays most
exciting young composers including
Tristan Perich, Daniel Wohl, Chris
Marianetti, and Ted Hearne.
Projects for the 2011-2012 Season
include; the North American tour of
Michael Gordon's 75 minute
percussion sextet "Timber," Multiple
offerings of Transit's Multimedia
project "Corps Exquis," and several
performances of Joe's very own solo
project "the Vibraphone Miniature
Collection" comprised of 12 new
pieces by 12 different composers for
vibraphone.
A Native of Ramsey NJ, Joe studied
with Gary Fink, John Ferrari, and Tom
Kolor and is a current private student
of Gordon Gottlieb. 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,
American Composers Forum, and the
Brooklyn Arts Council. His groups have
been featured on PBS Sunday Arts,
NPR, Q2, and WKCR (Columbia) Radio
Stations and have been reviewed by
the New. 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 where he directs the
percussion ensemble, writes/ arranges
music, and teaches group lessons.
Joe also maintains a private
percussion studio of between 5-10
students. Many 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 in the country.
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, the Jersey Surf Drum and
Bugle Corps, and the Reading
Buccaneer's Drum and Bugle Corps.
with Gary Fink, John Ferrari, and Tom
Kolor and is a current private student
of Gordon Gottlieb. 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,
American Composers Forum, and the
Brooklyn Arts Council. His groups have
been featured on PBS Sunday Arts,
NPR, Q2, and WKCR (Columbia) Radio
Stations and have been reviewed by
the New. 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 where he directs the
percussion ensemble, writes/ arranges
music, and teaches group lessons.
Joe also maintains a private
percussion studio of between 5-10
students. Many 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 in the country.
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, the Jersey Surf Drum and
Bugle Corps, and the Reading
Buccaneer's Drum and Bugle Corps.
