Born in Los Angeles in 1962, Joseph Klein is a composer of solo, chamber, and large ensemble works, including instrumental, vocal, electroacoustic, and intermedia compositions. His music—which has been described as “a dizzying euphoria… like a sonic tickling with counterpoint gone awry” (NewMusicBox) and exhibiting a “confident polyvalence [that] heightens its very real excitement” (The Wire)—reflects an ongoing interest in processes drawn from such sources as fractal geometry, chaos, and systems theory, often inspired by natural phenomena. His works frequently incorporate theatrical elements, either as an extension of the extra-musical references or as an organic expression of the musical narrative itself. Literature is another important influence on his work, including compositions based on the writings of Elias Canetti, Alice Fulton, Franz Kafka, W.S. Merwin, and Milan Kundera.

Klein’s compositions have been performed and broadcast internationally and have been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts, American Music Center, Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, Gaudeamus Foundation, International Society for Contemporary Music, International Confederation of Electroacoustic Music, American Composers Forum/Jerome Foundation, Meet the Composer, National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (two Morton Gould Young Composer Awards and honorable mention in the Nissim Prize Competition). Commissions, recordings, and other collaborations with new music specialists in the US and abroad include the International Contemporary Ensemble, Contemporary Art Music Project, Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Voices of Change, Texas New Music Ensemble, TrioPolis, Amorsima Trio, and dozens of virtuoso soloists from such ensembles as the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet, Ensemble Musikfabrik, Grossman Ensemble, Quince, Philip Glass Ensemble, Pittsburgh Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, and Dallas Opera Orchestra. Klein’s recorded works are available on the Innova, Centaur, Crystal, and Navona labels.

Klein holds degrees in composition from Indiana University (DM, 1991), University of California, San Diego (MA, 1986), and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (BA, 1984), where his composition teachers included Harvey Sollberger, Claude Baker, Robert Erickson, and Roger Reynolds. He is currently Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of North Texas College of Music, where he has served as Chair of Composition Studies since 1999.

Born in Los Angeles in 1962, Joseph Klein is a composer of solo, chamber, and large ensemble works, including instrumental, vocal, electroacoustic, and intermedia compositions. His music—which has been described as “a dizzying euphoria… like a sonic tickling with counterpoint gone awry” (NewMusicBox) and exhibiting a “confident polyvalence [that] heightens its very real excitement” (The Wire)—reflects an ongoing interest in processes drawn from such sources as fractal geometry, chaos, and systems theory, often inspired by natural phenomena. His works frequently incorporate theatrical elements, either as an extension of the extra-musical references or as an organic expression of the musical narrative itself. Literature is another important influence on his work, including compositions based on the writings of Elias Canetti, Alice Fulton, Franz Kafka, W.S. Merwin, and Milan Kundera.

Klein holds degrees in composition from Indiana University (DM, 1991), University of California, San Diego (MA, 1986), and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (BA, 1984). His composition teachers have included Harvey Sollberger, Claude Baker, Robert Erickson, and Roger Reynolds. He is currently Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of North Texas College of Music, where he has served as Chair of Composition Studies since 1999.

Joseph Klein is a composer of instrumental, vocal, electroacoustic, and intermedia works, whose music has been described as “a dizzying euphoria… like a sonic tickling with counterpoint gone awry” (NewMusicBox), exhibiting a “confident polyvalence [that] heightens its very real excitement” (The Wire). His work reflects an ongoing interest in processes inspired by natural phenomena, often drawing upon literary sources and incorporating theatrical elements as part of the overall musical narrative. Klein holds degrees from Indiana University and the University of California, San Diego, and currently serves as Distinguished Teaching Professor and Chair of Composition Studies at the University of North Texas.

Born in Los Angeles in 1962, Joseph Klein is a composer of solo, chamber, and large ensemble works, including instrumental, vocal, electroacoustic, and intermedia compositions. His music—which has been described as “a dizzying euphoria… like a sonic tickling with counterpoint gone awry” (NewMusicBox) and exhibiting a “confident polyvalence [that] heightens its very real excitement” (The Wire)—reflects an ongoing interest in processes drawn from such sources as fractal geometry, chaos, and systems theory, often inspired by natural phenomena. His works frequently incorporate theatrical elements, either as an extension of the extra-musical references or as an organic expression of the musical narrative itself. Literature is another important influence on his work, including compositions based on the writings of Elias Canetti, Alice Fulton, Franz Kafka, W.S. Merwin, and Milan Kundera.

Klein’s compositions have been performed and broadcast internationally and have been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts, American Music Center, Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, Gaudeamus Foundation, International Society for Contemporary Music, International Confederation of Electroacoustic Music, American Composers Forum/Jerome Foundation, Meet the Composer, National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (two Morton Gould Young Composer Awards and honorable mention in the Nissim Prize Competition). Commissions, recordings, and other collaborations with new music specialists in the US and abroad include the International Contemporary Ensemble, Contemporary Art Music Project, Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Voices of Change, Texas New Music Ensemble, TrioPolis, Amorsima Trio, and dozens of virtuoso soloists from such ensembles as the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet, Ensemble Musikfabrik, Grossman Ensemble, Quince, Philip Glass Ensemble, Pittsburgh Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, and Dallas Opera Orchestra. Klein’s recorded works are available on the Innova, Centaur, Crystal, and Navona labels.

Notable presentations of Klein’s works include such national and international venues as Echofluxx24 (2024; Prague, Czechia), CAMPGround24 Festival (2024), 7th Annual Research on Contemporary Composition Conference (2023), 6th Edition of the International Symposium of New Music (2023; Curtitiba, Brazil), MISE-EN Music Festival (2022), Boston New Music Initiative Prismatic Congruency Series (2022), Arc Project Online Festival (2021; York, England/UK), American Spring Festival (2021; Czechia), Film Fest by Rogue Dancer (2021), Dallas Museum of Art (2009), American Music Week in Bulgaria (2000), Composers’ Forum New Music/New Composers Workshop (1991), 21st Bienal of São Paulo (1991; Brazil), NOW MUSIC Festival (1990), Gaudeamus MusicWeek (1988; Amsterdam, Netherlands), the Virginia Band Directors National Association “Symposium XII for New Band Music” (1987), and contemporary music festivals at the University of Tennessee (2025), Central Washington University (2024), Florida State University (2024, 2001), Washington State University (2022), Bowling Green State University (2020, 2013, 1999), James Madison University (2018), Myongji University (2008), University of Memphis (2001), Western Illinois University (2000), The Juilliard School (1999), Towson University (1999), Louisiana State University (1998), and Morehead State University (1994).

His instrumental and vocal music has been presented at the Henri Selmer Paris International Summer Clarinet Academy (2018), World Saxophone Congress (2006; Ljubljana, Slovenia), and at conferences of the Society of Composers, Inc. (2021, 2020, 1993, 1990), Guild of Carillonneurs in North America (2023), International Trombone Association (2021, 1995), National Flute Association (2021), North American Saxophone Alliance (2014, 1995), Percussive Arts Society (2009, 2006), International Double Reed Society (2001, 1999, 1998), International Trumpet Guild (1993), College Music Society (1995), and the Music Educators National Conference (1994). His work utilizing music technology has been presented at Tempo Reale Lampi di Rete Online Audiovisual Marathon (2022; Florence, Italy), Audiovisual Frontiers Virtual Exhibition (2021), New York City Electronic Music Festival (2015), Connecticut College Biennial Symposium on Arts and Technology (2012, 2008), Twelve Nights Electroacoustic Music and Arts Festival/Miami (2009), Society of Electroacoustic Music in the United States (2007, 2000), International Workshop on Computer Music and Audio Technology (2007; Hsinchu, Taiwan), Florida Electroacoustic Music Festival (2005), Electronic Music Midwest (2004), and Sonic Circuits Festival (1998).

Klein’s research and teaching interests include the role of the composer in society, contemporary notational practices, the intersection of science and music, and the work of Frank Zappa. His music and related research have been presented at the Microtonal Village Conference for the Village Trip Festival (2024), 63rd Annual Organ Conference at the University of Michigan (2023), 21st Century Guitar Conference (2022), “On Growth and Form” Centenary Conference (2017; Dundee, Scotland/UK), “Composer au XXIe siècle: processus et philosophies” Conference (2007; Montreal, QC/Canada), and the “Politics and Media” Conference (2006; Łódź, Poland). He was resident scholar for Orchestra 2001’s performance of Frank Zappa’s The Yellow Shark at the Fillmore Philadelphia (2018), and has been a guest composer at dozens of academic institutions including Cornell University, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, University of Michigan, Indiana University, University of California Los Angeles, SUNY Buffalo, University of Louisville, University of Oklahoma, Pepperdine University, Northern Illinois University, University of Redlands, and Western Washington University, as well as those in the United Kingdom (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), Hungary (Franz Liszt Academy), Czechia (Janácek Academy, Masaryk University, Palacky University), Bulgaria (American University), South Korea (Myongji University, Dankook University, University of Suwon), Taiwan (National Taiwan Normal University, National Chiao Tung University), and China (Sichuan Conservatory), where he has presented lectures and master classes, organized concerts, and conducted performances of new music.

Klein holds a Doctor of Music degree in Composition (1991) from Indiana University where he studied with Harvey Sollberger, Claude Baker, and Eugene O’Brien. He also holds a Master of Arts degree (1986) from the University of California at San Diego, where his composition teachers included Robert Erickson, Roger Reynolds, and Bernard Rands, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music (1984) from the California State Polytechnic University at Pomona. He is currently Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of North Texas College of Music, where he has served as Chair of Composition Studies since 1999.