FULL BIOGRAPHY

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    Joseph Foster Harkins (b. 1995, Harrisburg, PA) writes concert music intimately related to and inspired by water, geographic landmarks, and notable topographic features, especially those from his native state of Pennsylvania. His music harbors influence from rock, jazz, and minimalism of its many forms, and is most often designed for individual performers and small chamber groups.

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    Harkins’ work has been performed and disseminated throughout the American continents. He was recognized in 2022 with a nomination for the American Academy of Arts and Letters’ Charles Ives Awards and selected a Finalist for the ASCAP Morton Gould Awards. He placed in two awards for Instrumental Chamber Music from the American Prize (Honorable Mention for Mountain Streams and Finalist for the Piano Sonatina No. 2) and made a record label debut in May 2020 on Centaur Records’ compilation disc Polychrome. His work will make its first appearance in publication with Flat Rock Vista’s inclusion in the first volume of NewMusicShelf’s “Anthology of New Music: Solo Piano” series. Harkins has appeared as fellow at the Etchings Festival, Cortona Sessions for New Music, RED NOTE New Music Festival, and Fresh Inc Festival, working with pianist Geoffrey Burleson and the East Coast Contemporary Ensemble, flutist Sarah Brady, Transient Canvas, and Fifth House Ensemble respectively. Further, his music has been performed as part of the Peabody Institute’s 2020 Virtual Residencies and the 2018-2019 Midwest Composer’s Symposiums. Collaborations include works for violinist Courtney Orlando, violist Michael Hall, oboist Katherine Needleman, percussionist Micheal Barnes, and the chamber ensembles F-Plus, Unheard-of//Ensemble, Zodiac Trio, New Morse Code, and the Aizuri Quartet among others.

 

    Harkins received his doctorate from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University where he studied with Oscar Bettison and served as a graduate assistant in Musicology for Dr. Laura Vasilyeva. He has additionally studied with composers David Rakowski, Michael Fiday, Ellen Ruth Harrison, Robert Maggio, and Jacob Cooper and was inducted into the Delta Sigma chapter of the American music honor society Pi Kappa Lambda in the spring of 2017. Harkins is currently an Elementary Music Teacher for the West Perry School District based in Perry County, PA where he teaches general music for PreK-5th grades and directs the choirs of Blain and New Bloomfield Elementaries. He currently resides in Carlisle, PA.

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SHORT BIOGRAPHY

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    Joseph Foster Harkins (b. 1995, Harrisburg, PA) writes concert music intimately related to and inspired by water, geographic landmarks, and notable topographic features, especially those from his native state of Pennsylvania. His music harbors influence from rock, jazz, and minimalism of its many forms, and is most often designed for individual performers and small chamber groups. Harkins’ work has been performed and disseminated throughout the American continents, has been recognized by the ASCAP Morton Gould Awards, American Prize, and American Academy of Arts and Letters, and was featured at the Etchings, RED NOTE, and Fresh Inc Festivals and Cortona Sessions. He received his doctorate from the Peabody Institute where he studied with Oscar Bettison and is currently an Elementary Music Teacher for the West Perry School District based in Perry County, PA. He currently resides in Carlisle, PA.