Joseph Hallman

Joe Hallman is a Philadelphia composer.

Early life

Hallman was born in Philadelphia neighborhood, Fishtown/Port Richmond. His mother worked at a hospital. He attended Girard College, a K-12 prep school in North Philadelphia. He was introduced to music at the age of 12, at Girard. He voraciously went through all the instrument lockers in his High School Band room- settling on bassoon, but he continued to play flute, piccolo, alto clarinet, english horn, and percussion in the band. He studied bassoon with the well-known Philadelphia bassoon pedagogue, Shirley Curtiss. He entered into Curtiss's Woodwind Chamber music Program at the Settlement Music School. He gained a huge sense of repertoire by playing in many different groups. Joe was a member of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra and traveled on tours to Central Europe, Jordan, and Russia. [ [http://www.myspace.com/josephhallmancomposer MySpace.com - Joseph Hallman - Classique / Expérimentale - www.myspace.com/josephhallmancomposer ] ]

Conservatory

He began his formal study in composition upon entering the Cleveland Institute of Music, at 18. He studied composition with Margaret Brouwer and has participated in masterclasses with such artists as George Crumb, Christopher Rouse, Samuel Adler, Bernard Rands, John Corigliano, Libby Larsen, Chen Yi, John Harbison, Steven Mackey, Joseph Schwantner, Paul Schoenfeld, Bruce Adolphe, Joan Tower, Stephen Paulus, Eve Beglarian and George Tsontakis. His work in audio engineering and electronic music has allowed him to work with Alan Bise, Steven Kohn, Bruce Egre (Azica Records/Cleveland Orchestra), Frank Vale (Metrosync Studios) and Paul Blakemore (Telarc International.) He has been an associate composer and artist-in-residence with Bright Sheng and Eve Beglarian, on separate occasions, at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in Florida.

While at Cleveland Insitute of Music he met his most constant collaborator, Alisa Weilerstein (cellist), who premiered both of his Concertos for cello and chamber orchestra, Sonata in three movements, various solo pieces, and a duet for marimba and cello. This collaboration has brought him much recognition. His two concertos for Alisa Weilerstein were hailed by her as "totally amazing" [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE2D7113CF93BA15752C0A9679C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all A Natural Comes of Age (All of 18) - New York Times ] ] , and have also been aired on NPR.His newest Concerto for Cello will be premiered in March 2008 in St. Petersburg, Russia with the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic. [ [http://www.jhallmanmusic.com Untitled Document ] ]

Collaborations/Commissions

His other collaborations and commissions have included those with the dramatic pianist, Anthony DeMare [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/24/arts/music/24dema.html The Pianist Anthony de Mare Meditates on Politics and Pride - New York Times ] ] , the Cavani Quartet, the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Institute of Music New Music Ensemble, Ian Parker, Carol Jantsch, Elizabeth Starr-Masoudnia, and John Koen among others. He had the opportunity to work with the screenwriter/poet/novelist Antwone Fisher (from the films "Antwone Fisher" and "Finding Fish"), with the Cleveland Boy Choir in a commission for a choral work based on his poetry.

Joe has just finished new works for an upcoming May 2008 recital. (5/3/08) Included are Concerti for Tuba and Bass Clarinet. (for Carol Jantsch Philadelphia Orchestra) and Calvin Falwell). His “Divine Discontent”, a concertino for English horn was premiered in February 2008, by Philadelphia Orchestra English hornist Elizabeth Starr-Masoudnia [ [http://www.thebulletin.us/site/news.cfm?newsid=19286980&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=640159&rfi=6 The Bulletin - Philadelphia's Family Newspaper - Local Classical Composer Inspired By Rumi ] ] , on the Phila. Orch.Chamber Series [ [http://philorch.org/cgi-bin/display_event.fcg?org_id=2;event_id=2508;id=54153C76:1.31331;file=poa02e_eventdetail.ttml;cur_month=0 The Philadelphia Orchestra ] ] . "Home Variations" are a series of variations on the “New World” Theme. They are being written for New York Philharmonic's English Hornist, Thomas Stacy. Two versions are being created: one for recital series and one for chamber orchestra performances.

He has worked extensively with the American poet, Jessica Hornik. He has based works on her poetry. His most recent is a setting of three poems called "Arrivals" , "Pas De Fall", and "Pastorale". They are written for baritone (written for Brian Ming Chu), english horn, and two bass clarinets. They received their premiere on a recital called "Arrivals" (after the poem) in May 2008. [ [http://www.thebulletin.us/site/news.cfm?newsid=19286980&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=640159&rfi=6 The Bulletin - Philadelphia's Family Newspaper - Local Classical Composer Inspired By Rumi ] ] He has most recently set another triptych of poems of hers for soprano, oboe, clarinet, harp, and strings- to be premiered by the Washington D.C.-based virtuoso chamber orchestra- Inscape Camber Music Project, a frequent collaborator.

Hallman has won scholarships/prizes that include the Carl G. Lampl Memorial Scholarship, the Ruth D. Sihler Scholarship, the William O. & Gertrude L. Frohring Scholarship, the Harry A. & Stella K. Brown Scholarship, the Marcel Dick Prize, and the Donald Erb Prize, and the SCI/ASCAP Student Composers Competition. [ [http://www.jhallmanmusic.com Untitled Document ] ] He was also awarded the "Darius Milhaud Award". In 2008, Joe won a Subito grant from the American Composers Forum. He was also selected by ACF to present his Concerto for bass clarinet at the Kimmel Center in April 2008. (4/19/2008). [ [http://www.composersforum.org/member_profile.cfm?oid=9418 American Composers Forum ] ] He will work with the uber-bassoonist Pascal Gallois, in October 2008, through a program run by the American Composers' Forum.

References

* http://www.jhallmanmusic.com
* http://www.st-pcp.org/assets/programs07-08.html
* http://philorch.org/cgi-bin/display_event.fcg?org_id=2;event_id=2508;id=54153C76:1.31331;file=poa02e_eventdetail.ttml;cur_month=0
* http://www.myspace.com/josephhallmancomposer
* http://www.myspace.com/gogreengotheband
* http://www.thebulletin.us/site/news.cfm?newsid=19286980&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=640159&rfi=6
* http://www.composersforum.org/member_profile.cfm?oid=9418
* http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE2D7113CF93BA15752C0A9679C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all
* http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/24/arts/music/24dema.html