Joe Hallman was born in Philadelphia on November 20, 1979. He started independent music studies at the age of 12, and wrote his first work at the age of 13. He studied bassoon and flute, and performed in various orchestras and chamber groups throughout the area and toured the world.


He began his formal study in composition upon entering the Cleveland Institute of Music, for his Bachelor's of Music in Composition and Audio Recording. His studies were with Dr. Margaret Brouwer. Joe has participated in masterclasses with such artists as George Crumb, Christopher Rouse, Samuel Adler, Bernard Rands, John Corigiliano, 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).


His collaborations include those with Alisa Weilerstein (cellist), who premiered both of his Concertos for cello and chamber orchestra, Sonata in three movements, various solo pieces, and most recently a duet for marimba and cello. His collaboration has brought him much recognition, his 2 concertos for Alisa Weilerstein being hailed by her as 'totally amazing' (NY Times -1/28/01), and have also been aired on NPR.


He was a recipient of scholarships from the Settlement Music School, the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, Girard College, California Summer Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music. His scholarships/prizes 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.

Joe has received commissions from the Cleveland Orchestra Education Department for an orchestral work for the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (sponsored by the Bascom-Little Foundation). The piece was 'vivid in atmosphere and instrumental deployment'- Cleveland Plain Dealer (5/14/02)]


His other collaborations and commissions have included those with the Cavani Quartet, Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Institute of Music New Music Ensemble, 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.
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.


He was awarded the 'Darius Milhaud Award' which is given to a person ' of unusual talent or creativity, who possesses a high degree of musical sensitivity and expressiveness, a strong love for, and dedication to, the musical arts, shows exceptional accomplishment in the major field and gives evidence of academic excellence' by the The Darius Milhaud Society and the Cleveland Institute of Music and has been named an Ohio Regent's Scholar.
He was the assistant to Dr. Margaret Brouwer (head of the Composition Dep't. at C.I.M.), which included the responsibilities of organizing/rehearsing the Cleveland Institute of Music's New Music Ensemble and teaching a class on Orchestration.


His 'sets' for full orchestra, written for Margaret Brouwer, is to be read in session with the Cleveland Orchestra next month. He is again working with Alisa Weilerstein and the St.Petersburg Chamber Orchestra on a new Cello Concerto, to be premiered in 07-08 in Russia.. He is working on a new piano work for the young Canadian pianist, Ian Parker. His new 'tribute to paul Hindemith' for wind quintet will be premiered in May, by the Quintet Tabor, for whom it was written. His Concerto for English Horn and chamber group (harp, vln., vla., clo., and perc.) is being written for Elizabeth Starr-Masoudnia of the Philadelphia Orchestra. The Quartet for bassoon and strings is also being written for a musician in the Philadelphia Orchestra, bassoonist Danny Matsukawa. Slated over the next year are collaborations with Judith Ingolfsson (violin), a piece for the International Double Reed Society.
Joe resides in Philadelphia with his partner Stephen and their puppies Penelope and Hagl.
News about Joe and his works can be found on his website: www.jhallmanmusic.com

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