Contact Information

Biography

Joseph Sheehan is a pianist, composer, and educator whose work lies at the intersections of jazz, global folk, and classical traditions. His music and performances seek to express wisdom, humility, openness, and joy.
 
At the heart of his work is the ensemble Kinetic, a music collective he founded whose performances blend global folk traditions with modern jazz. The group recorded two albums (Dances of Lake Volta and Songs of Lake Volta) interweaving Ghanaian folk song with original music composed by Sheehan. The recordings draw 鈥渕agnificent connecting threads from classical music and contemporary jazz to the music of West Africa鈥 buoyed by soaring melodies and infectious rhythms鈥 (Textura.org) and 鈥渕ake a fascinating, in-depth, approach to a creative universe鈥 a real treasure鈥 (Sonagrama Magazine). Informing this work were three in-depth research trips to Ghana to study traditional music with local masters (2008-09, 2013, 2014). Sheehan has continued his research of folk music in Uganda (2022) and China (2024). 
 
Open to many paths of musical activity, Sheehan has performed with jazz masters in Pittsburgh and NYC; folk music experts from China, Cuba, Ghana, and Uganda; classical performers and ensembles; rappers; and pop/R&B musicians. His piano playing is rooted in Pittsburgh鈥檚 historic jazz scene, and his compositions are often informed by immersive field research of folk music, as well as university studies in classical composition.
 
Sheehan鈥檚 music and performances have been heard throughout the U.S., and in Canada, Ghana, Hong Kong, Italy, and Uganda (see below for a representative list). 
 
Dr. Sheehan is an associate professor at 福利免费毛片, where he teaches classes in Musicianship, Songwriting, African Music, and collaborative music making, and has taught courses abroad in Ghana and Italy. He also regularly teaches and performs at the Clazz International Music Festival in Tuscany, Italy.

Education

  • D.M., Indiana University
  • M.M., Indiana University
  • B.A., 福利免费毛片

Areas of Expertise

  • Music Composition
  • Musicianship
  • Jazz Piano
  • Collaborative Music Performance
  • Songwriting

 

Profile Information

Associated Programs

Music and Performances:

  • Rubber City Jazz Festival (Akron)
  • Clazz International Music Festival (Italy)
  • Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival
  • Three Rivers Arts Festival (Pittsburgh)
  • Chamber Music Simply Summer Series (Pittsburgh)
  • Frick Museum Summer Music Series (Pittsburgh)
  • Highland Park Reservoir of Jazz Series (Pittsburgh)
  • Kelly Strayhorn's Suite Life (Pittsburgh)
  • Mellon BNY Jazzlive Series (Pittsburgh)
  • Monadnock Music Emerging Artist Series (Vermont)
  •  Blu+ Jazz (Akron)
  • Chez Trente (Hong Kong)
  • Jamestown Boutique (Ghana)
  • Horowitz Center for Visual & Performing Arts (Maryland)
  • Fontana's (NYC)
  • Alphabet City (Pittsburgh)
  • August Wilson Center (Pittsburgh)
  • The Benedum Center (Pittsburgh)
  • Con Alma (Pittsburgh)
  • Kingfly Spirits (Pittsburgh)
  • Mr. Smalls (Pittsburgh)
  • Gallery345 (Toronto)
  • College Music Society (Delaware, NY)
  • International Trumpet Guild (PA)
  • University of Ghana (Ghana)
  • Kyambogo, Makerere (Uganda)
  • Carnegie Mellon (US)
  • Colorado State (US)
  • Colorado Mesa (US)
  • 福利免费毛片 (US)
  • Pittsburgh (US)
  • Slippery Rock (US)
  • UNC-Pembroke (US)
  • West Virginia (US)
  • Andy Warhol (Pittsburgh)
  • Carnegie Library Oakland (Pittsburgh)
  • Carnegie Museum of Natural History (Pittsburgh)
  • Latin American Cultural Center (Pittsburgh)
  • Westmoreland Museum of Art (Pittsburgh)