Composer, pianist, and author René Joseph’s music has been recorded in North America and in Europe, performed on National Public Radio, and can be heard in a wide range of performance venues from the classical concert stage to folk, band, and electronic settings (My Beautiful Country, Processional, ‘Voyager’ Concerto…).
René grew up in Beirut, Lebanon, the son of an American embassy official. He began piano lessons at age seven, first with an Armenian teacher and then with Russian pianist Mikhail Cheskinov. He studied counterpoint on his own and began composing at the age of fourteen. After the family returned to the U.S., René majored in Music and German at the University of Oregon, working under Homer Keller (music composition), Hal Owen (theory, counterpoint), and Rumanian pianist Alexandru Hrisanides (piano). Subsequently, he studied with the late Polish pianist Adam Kapuscinski (student of A. Michalowski, himself a pupil of Liszt).
After graduation René became involved with electronic music and coordinated the Eugene Electronic Music Collective (EEMC), giving concerts on synthesizers and piano in his native state of Oregon. His ‘Voyager’ Concerto for piano and synthesizers is the first and only concerto ever written for that combination of keyboard instruments. One listener commented:
Rene’s cover article “Electronic Orchestration” appeared in Electronic Musician magazine. The article continues to be used in college music courses as a benchmark reference in the field.
As noted in Keyboard Magazine, René toured the Northwest performing the world premiere of J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations on synthesizers and in quadraphonic sound. He has also concertized performing original works on piano and synthesizers and founded the Alliance Recognizing Talent in Eugene (A.R.T.E.), a consortium of 40+ musicians/artists in his hometown.
Besides his roles as composer and performer of music, René has also worked as a Mental Health Associate, caring for severely mentally ill patients in various hospital settings. He strongly believes this work has added depth and character to his compositions and to his performing.
Ever the experimenter, René is exploring what he calls “episodic music”—a method of composing in which a musical work is broken into ‘episodes’ that are to be performed in whatever order the performer desires. In this way, the piece is ever fresh, while the performer also becomes partly the ‘composer.’
About his music, René says: “I want my music to sing. I would like it to be immediately intelligible to anyone, regardless of his or her musical background. I’d like people to see themselves through my music, and thus to acknowledge and affirm themselves on a deep and meaningful level.”
What some others are saying…
“Joseph is a talented musical chameleon who can create in just about any style… He favors an easily identifiable melody, which he works over in refreshing ways… It was obvious to the appreciative audience that he is a creative force who can do many things very well. His fiery Toccata for piano was winning. A mad whirl of virtuoso passages serves as bookends for some serious soul-searching. Joseph performed it with distinction.”—Fred Crafts, Critic At Large, KUGN Radio (Eugene, OR)
“I was transported by the magnitude and beauty of the ‘Voyager’ Concerto. You have truly married the head and the heart, your Beethoven and your Chopin. Congratulations. I feel that your music will attract a large audience. It is definitely understandable and a sensual delight to experience. The blend of synthesizer and piano is pure genius.”—Portland concertgoer
“Dear René, Thank you so much for sending the copy of your Preludes and Inventions. I’ve played them over several times and find them quite appealing, as well as very accessible.”—Dr. Doris E. Allen DMA, Professor of Piano Pedagogy (emeritus), University of Oregon
“Dear René! Wow! Thanks so much for giving us copies of your music. They look beautiful and the pieces are great. You are a truly wonderful composer. I will be sure to share your pieces with other pianists as well as the teachers in our UO Piano Pedagogy Program.”—Dr. Claire Wachter DMA, Professor of Piano and Pedagogy, School of Music and Dance, University of Oregon
“I received the score for your piano Fantasy. First of all, congratulations for composing such a beautiful piece…”—Dr. Eduardo Moreira DMA, pianist and pedagogue
Dear René, I just listened to your compositions on the Laureate site. These are beautiful pieces!—Dr. Lindsay Falvey, Fellow, Claire College, Univ. of Cambridge (UK); and Univ. of Melbourne (Australia)