Joseph Koykkar, is a musician at home in a variety of music from classical to avant-garde to rock and blues. As a composer, he has had his music performed nationally and internationally for over the past 30 years, including performances and commissions by many of the leading new music ensembles in the nation including the Relache Ensemble, Present Music, Zeitgeist, New York New Music Ensemble, North/South Consonance, Synchronia, and the California Ear Unit. His music can be heard on eight CDs, including an all-Koykkar CD released on Northeastern Records in 1992. His composition Out Front on the North/South label, was one of 49 entries in contention for a 2006 Grammy in the “Best Contemporary Classical Composition “ category. He has composed in a variety of media including chamber music, orchestral scores, music for dance, film/video scores, and electronic/computer music. He holds degrees from Indiana University (M.Mus.) and the University of Miami (DMA). He has received grants and awards from such sources as the Pew Charitable Trust for Music, the NEA, Meet the Composer, ASCAP (27 consecutive awards), the American Music Center, the Wisconsin Arts Board and the American Composers Forum. He was composer-in-residence for the NOW Festival ’96 at Capital University in Columbus, OH. He spent two years as composer-in-residence with the Artists-in Schools Program in Virginia from 1978-80. As a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he teaches courses in electroacoustic music/sound design and serves as Music Director for the UW’s Dance Program. During the late 1980s and early 90s, he was instrumental in shaping the UW-Madison’s unique Interarts and Technology Program, acting as coordinator from 1995-2005. Prior to his retirement in May 2019, he had been on the UW-Madison faculty since 1987. He has been a past president of the statewide composers organization, the Wisconsin Alliance for Composers (1990-93). Since the spring of 2019 he is the founder/artistic director of the Madison New Music Ensemble – an ensemble of six musicians dedicated to the “written-out” music of our times.
SELECTED -AWARDS, HONORS, GRANTS
2019 Featured Guest Composer, Peck School of the Arts, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 12/6/19
2015 Grammy award contender in the “Best Classical Contemporary Composition” category for Streets and Bridges on the Ravello label
2013 Biographical Listing in the New Grove’s Dictionary of American Music
2013 Finalist in the American Prize in Composition-Chamber Music -Professional Division (National Competition)
2012 One of 6 Wisconsin composers awarded a commission by the Wisconsin Arts Board for the Wisconsin Soundscapes project for a new solo piano composition
2011 Selected as a International Guild of Musicians Dance Master Artist for 2011 National Dance Educators Organization conference in Minneapolis
2020, 2014,2013, 2011-1985 28 ASCAP Standard Awards for Contemporary Music Composition
2010 Piano music selected for Wisconsin tour by pianist Jeri-Mae Astolfi (juried)
2008 Grammy award contender in the “Best Classical Contemporary Composition” category for Panache on the Meyer Media label
2008 METLife Creative Connections Award for a residency with the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra
2007 ASCAP Foundation funding for a new work for the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra
2007 Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission funding for a residency with the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra
2007 Meet the Composer award for a residency with the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra
2006 Honorable Mention in the National 2007 MACRO Composers Competition at Truman State University in December 2006 for Double Take for 18 Instruments
2006 Grammy award contender in the “Best Classical Contemporary Composition” category for Out Front on the North/South label
2005 Featured Guest Composer 6th Annual La Crosse New Music Festival, UW-La Crosse
2003 Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission for the Oakwood Chamber Players new composition
2003 Indiana State School Music System selection of EVOCATIONS for orchestra for inclusion on
the statewide ensemble listing
2002 Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission for a new work for the First Unitarian Society
Summer Series
2002 1st place in the Composers Competition for the Madison Chapter of the Wisconsin Alliance
for the First, Listen Competition
2002 Honorable Mention in Florida International University’s New Music Competition sponsored
by the International Society of Composers
2001 National Endowment for the Arts Commissioning Award (Relache Ensemble New Work)
2000 Pew Charitable Trust Fund of Philadelphia (Relache Ensemble New Work) 2000
2000 Invited Composer at the New Music Festival at Bowling Green State University 2000
1997-1988 Six Meet the Composer Grants
1997 Guest composer at the NOW Festival, Conservatory of Music, Columbus, OH
1996 Performance Incentive Award from the American Composers Forum in conjunction
with the Minnesota Contemporary Ensemble
1996 National Composer-in-Residence (week-long residency) at the NOW Festival
Capital University, Conservatory of Music, Columbus, OH
1994 Invited Composer for the New Hampshire Music Festival Composers Conference
1993 Invited Composer at the New Music Festival at Bowling Green State University
1990 Individual Artist Fellowship New Work Award, Wisconsin Arts Board
1989 American Music Center Copying Assistance Award
1988 Darmstadt Fellow at the International Summer Course in New Music
1992 Featured composer at the Montanea Composers Festival, Bern, Switzerland
1992 Fellow of the American Composer/Conductor Program, Hartt School of Music, Hartford, CT
1990 Indiana University Music of Our Time Seminar Fellow
1987 Wisconsin Arts Board Individual Project Grant
1987 Academic Development Grant from UW-Whitewater
1983 Atlantic Center for the Arts Fellowship for study with John Corigliano
1983 1st prize winner of Florida’s Youth Symphony Composition Contest, Miami, FL
1983 Pi Kappa Lambda Honor Society
EDUCATION
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL
Degree: Doctor of Musical Arts (Composition/Theory)
(May 1983)
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN
Degree: Master of Music (Conducting)
(August 1978)
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI
Degree: Bachelor of Music (Composition/Theory)
(December 1975)
UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE POSITIONS-Selected
University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor
1987 to 2019 Music Director/Composer for the Dance Department
Founder of Interarts & Technology Program
RECORDINGS -Professional Releases (1992-present)
EXPRESSED IN UNITS AND OTHER WORKS – a compact disc featuring six compositions by Joseph Koykkar released by Northeastern Records (Boston, MA); distributed by Koch International in the United States, Europe, and Japan; released September 1992
COMPOSITE for Orchestra – conducted by Robert Black and performed by the Slovak Radio and Television Orchestra of Bratislava, Slovakia; released on MMC Recordings August 1994 “Robert Black Conducts”
TRIPLE PLAY – featured on Volume 3 of the Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the US CD Series, released February 1995
DOUBLE TAKE – featured on the CD Synchronia Live In-Sync Label, November 1995; St.Louis, MO
FOR MALLETS AND STRINGS – featured on the Level 7 CD by the Robin Cox Ensemble, May 2002, Los Angeles, CA
MUSICA PER DUE – featured on the CD “Musica Per Due” performed by the Sole Nero Duo on
the Equilibrium label, released September 2004; Ann Arbor, MI
OUT FRONT – featured on the CD “Traveling West” by the North/South Consonance
Ensemble, released December 2004; New York, NY
PANACHE – featured on the CD “Eight Point Turn” by the Relache Ensemble on the Meyer Media label, released March 2008, New York, NY
COMPOSITE for Orchestra performed by the Slovak Radio and Television Orchestra of Bratislava, Slovakia; released on PARMA Recordings CD “Paradigms” released July 2012
STREETS AND BRIDGES for solo piano performed by Jeri-Mae Astolfi on the Ravello label on the CD “Wisconsin Soundscapes” released March 2015
DOUBLE TAKES and TRIPLE PLAYS- a compact disc featuring five recent compositions by Joseph Koykkar released by PARMA Recordings in February 2016
COMPOSITIONS PUBLISHED (non-JNK Music publications only)
SOLOING for Flute (The American Flute Anthology) by JB Elkus & Sons (California), 1996
EXPRESSED IN UNITS by MMB Music (St. Louis), 1991
CIRCUMSTANCE by MMB Music, 1991
COMPOSITE for Orchestra by MMB Music, 1991
EVOCATIONS by Belwin Mills/Columbia Pictures Publications (Miami) 1985
PIANO MOODS by See Saw Music, Inc., New York, 1992
KINESIS for Orchestra by See Saw Music, Inc., New York, 1982
CHAMBER SYMPHONY by See Saw Music, Inc., New York, 1982
HAIKU SUITE by See Saw Music, Inc., New York, 1982
All other compositions are published by JNK Music (ASCAP affiliation) (Madison, WI)
CONCERT MUSIC
Triptych for Flutes & Sounds 2021 8 mins. solo flute & electronics
Changing Days 2020 7 mins. soprano & bari sax, piano
Lacrimosa MMXVIII 2018 8 mins. electric cello & electronics
Time in Transcendence 2015 12 mins. percussion ensemble
City Nights for Thelema Trio 2013 7 mins. piano, sax, clarinet
Streets and Bridges 2012 11 mins. piano
Elegy for Ygor 2010 5 mins. ob, vc ,pno
Inside Out 2009 8 mins. saxophone quartet
Movement III (Cosmic Code) 2008 4 mins. chamber orchestra
Beyond Circumstance 2007-08 12 mins. full orchestra
Double Take for 18 Instr. 2006 8 mins. chamber wind ensemble
Suite: Cosmic Code 2005 13 mins. chamber orchestra
In Celebration 2004 8 mins. fl,ob,cl,hn,vln,db,pno
Cosmic Code 2003 22 mins. chamber ensemble and video
Musica Per Due 2002 10 mins. pno and perc
Music For Three 2002 6 mins ob,vc,pno
Music For Mallets & Strings 2001 5 mins. vln,vc,vbs,mba
Panache 2001 12 mins. fl,ob,cl,bsn,vla,db,pno,perc
Reflections on a Friendship 2000 5 mins. vln,vc,pno
Tour De Force 2000 8 mins. electronic percussion and technology
High Strung 1999 6 mins. electric cello and computer technology
Keyboard Dances 1998 10 mins. piano duo
Interfacing 1997 10 mins. piano and computer technology
MIDI Dances 1996 10 mins. digital instruments
Double Dance 1996 10 mins. fl,cl,bsn,pno,perc
Composite for Concert Band 1996 15 mins. concert band
Soloing 1995 4 mins. flute
With Wood, Wire, Mallets 1995 9 mins. fl,ob,cl,bsn,va,db,pno,perc
Out Front 1995 8 mins. fl,cl,vln,vc,pno,perc
The Front Lines 1994 8 mins. fl,cl,& DAT tape.
Mit Holz und Schlegel 1993 9 mins. pno,marimba,vibes,cl
Double Take 1992 8 mins. fl,cl,vln,vc,pno,perc
Triple Play 1991 6 mins. pno, MIDI pno, sampler
Cycles Within 1991 11mins. vc, pno
In Focus 1990 8 mins. fl,cl,vln,vc,pno,perc
Expressed in Units 1989 13 mins. fl,cl,vlns,vla,vc,pno,perc
A Three‑Point Perspective 1987 10 mins. ob,cl,bsn,vln,pnos
Chorusing 1986 7 mins. flute choir
Impulse 1985 8 mins. piano
Modus Operandum 1984 7 mins. ob,cl,bsn,vlns,vla,pno,perc.
Circumstance 1983 9 mins. vln,cl,pno,perc.
Composite 1983 15 mins. orchestra
Continuum 1982 9 mins. 2 pnos,ob,cl,perc.
Axis on A 1982 7 mins. 2 vlns,vla,pno.
String Quartet 1981 21 mins. 2 vlns,vla,vc
Evocations 1981 6 mins. orchestra
Centennial Ode 1981 7 mins. chorus & orchestra
Piano Moods 1980 10 mins. piano
Divertimento (Octet) 1980 6 mins. 7 winds & perc.
Yorktown Memoirs 1979 6 mins. chorus & band
Piano Trio 1979 12 mins. vln,vc,pno.
O Vos Omnes 1979 3 mins. SATB
Sonata for Violin and Piano 1978 14 mins. vln,pno.
Haiku Suite 1978 10 mins. fl,pno,vc,perc.
Kinesis 1976 5 mins. orchestra
Chamber Symphony 1975 14 mins. chamber orchestra
COMPOSITION FOR THEATRE
Cloud Nine 2013 spring UW-Madison Theatre Dept. (10 performances)
(Original music & sound design)
COMPOSITIONS FOR DANCE
Giant City Ache 2008 12 mins. samplers
Flowing In and Out of Time 2002 12 mins. samplers
Glyhpic References 2000 10 mins. samplers
A Silent Path 1998 6 mins samplers.
Episodes III 1997 10 mins. samplers
Memories 1991 7 mins. piano
Shiftings 1991 6 mins. sampler/synthesizers
Remains 1990 12 mins. samplers
She Thought She Knew 1990 14 mins. sampler/synthesizers
2 For 9 1989 10 mins. synthesizers
Lost Pieces from a 1989 9 mins. digital sampler
Night Puzzle
People 1988 10 mins. synthesizers & SATB
Nocturnes 1988 9 mins. synthesizers
The Other Side Show 1988 12 mins. synthesizers
Falling Water 1988 6 mins. synthesizers & flute
Overtime 1988 12 mins. piano
Demon 1987 9 mins. synthesizers
Cairns 1986 27 mins. synthesizers
Haiku Suite (original) 1977 10 mins. two pianos
COMPOSITION FOR DANCE VIDEO
Overtime 1988 12 mins. synthesizers
TAPE COLLAGES FOR DANCE (In conjunction with Professor Anna Nassif)
Distance Covered 1991
Buddha 1990
Trainride 1989 (From German Remembrances)
Roar 1989
COMPOSITIONS FOR FILM (N.B. The durations listed are for the complete film/video
production not the amount of music composed.)
Title Producer
TV Commercials
Western Cruise Lines 1982 Cinema East – Miami, FL
Tampa Electric Company 1981 Filmworks – Miami, FL
Industrial Films
Marine Science Under Sails, 10 minutes 1984 University of Miami
Scandinavian Cruise Lines, 10 minutes 1982 Filmworks – Miami, FL
Youth Crime Watch, 12 minutes 1981 Cinema East – Miami, FL
Documentaries
Patriotic Parades, 30 minutes 1984 Miami Institute of History
A Small Price to Pay, 30 minutes 1982 Virginia Tech
Energy…Making a Contribution, 30 minutes 1981 Virginia Tech
Dramatic Film
Island Zone Zero, 5 minutes 1987 Fareed al-Mashat
Lilly’s Gone, 10 minutes 1982 Jeffrey Johnson
Davie (*) (**), 6 minutes 1981 Fareed al-Mashat
Eyes of the Lycanthrope, 7 minutes 1980 Dean Gates
* Second prize in the Houston International Film Competition
** Third prize in the Cinemagic Film Competition, New York, NY
MUSIC FOR THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS
Incidental Music for “King Lear” for the UW-Madison Theater Department, 2/21-3/18/97
Electronic music score for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” for the Performing and Visual Arts Center, Miami-Dade Community College, Miami, FL, 11/2-5/84
MUSIC RESEARCHER (Compiled the soundtrack from pre-existing sources for the film listed below.)
Southwestern Ballet, by Dan Curry, Chicago, IL, 1988
(Southwestern Ballet was broadcast nationally (12/88) over the Learning Channel on cable television.)
INTERACTIVE MUSIC/VIDEO COMPOSITION
“Touchings: A Love Story”, an 8-minute work featuring live MIDI triggering of video images as well as a computer music soundtrack, 1991
SOUNDTRACK FOR EXPERIMENTAL VIDEO
“Un/necessary Percent”, a 20-minute sound design in collaboration with video artist Laurie Beth Clark, 1995-96. The video has been exhibited at the University of Rhode Island, Drexel University, Dallas International Film and Video Festival, University of Florida, and the Wisconsin Triennial among other locations.
SOUND INSTALLATION
“Approach/Avoidance”, the sound track for a month-long exhibit by artist Laurie Beth Clark at the Madison Art Center, Madison, WI, April 1990
MUSIC FOR YOUNG MUSICIANS*
Three Preludes for Band 6 mins. concert band
Autumn Night 5 mins. concert band
Rocky Road 5 mins. concert band
Blue Funk 4 mins. jazz band
Get Yourself Together 5 mins. jazz band
Let It Out, Let It In 4 mins. SSA
Sunday 3 mins. SSA
Back Street Symphony 4 mins. SATB
I Will Start a New World 3 mins. solo voice
When Love Finds You 4 mins. jazz combo
A Christmas Wish 12 mins. musical play
Momotaro 10 mins. musical play
* The above compositions were composed while Composer-in-Residence for the NEA’s Artists-in-Schools Program between 1978-80.