Joshua Marquez is a Philadelphia-based Filipino-American composer, improviser, and sound artist whose music explores the liminal space between tone/noise and digital/analog as a means to investigate the complexities and duality of Asian American identity in search of connection during a diaspora. Searing a sonic imprint of cultural identity, his explorations of the noise spectrum represent alienation and assimilation through the fusion and fission of disparate timbres. Marquez “offers a musical experience rarely heard” (EARMILK) described as “upsetting and calming in equal measure” with atmospheres that “sink into your skin” (Prism Reviews). Hailed as "cutting-edge" (The Gazette), “expertly crafted” (We Write About Music), "haunting" (The Daily Iowan), and "creepy" (Fanfare Magazine), Marquez's polemic deconstruction and disintegration of sound aims to present music through a decolonized lens.
Marquez's music has been performed and recorded, internationally, by ensembles and musicians such as the Arditti Quartet, JACK Quartet, Brno Philharmonic, Carmine Marcello Rizzi (violin), Iwona Glinka (flute), Akropolis Reed Quintet, Stony Brook Contemporary Chamber Players, University of Iowa Center for New Music, Gate City Camerata, Quintet Sirocco, Duo Charango, Bahué Duo, and the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia, among others.
As a performer and improviser, Marquez has performed such venues as Arlene’s Grocery (NYC), The Public Option (DC), Addison/Ripley Gallery (DC), Rhizome (DC). Never Ending Books (CT), the Spot Tavern (IN), RAIR (PA), Grounded Print Shop (PA), Nightlight (NC), Gravity Records (NC), the Wicked Witch (NC), All Data Lost Festival (NC), Elsewhere Museum (NC), and the Englert Theatre (IA), among others.
Joshua’s sound art has been installed at the Practice Gallery (PA), RAIR (PA) Gallery MC (NYC), Public Space One (IA), Becker Gallery (IA), Porch Gallery (IA), among others.
His work has been awarded a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Residency as an Arts Fellow, a Recycled Artist In Residency (RAIR), a Virginia Center for the Creative Arts Residency as a CSG Fellow, a Millay Colony for the Arts Residency, a Brush Creek Artist Residency, a Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts Residency, a New Music USA Grant, the Arts in Wilmington Artist of 2019 Award, a 2016 Sayat Nova International Composition Competition Prize, a North Carolina Arts Grant, an Iowa Social Justice Grant, and an Iowa Arts Across Borders Grant in addition to other honors.
Recent performances include the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival (NYC), the National Student Electronic Music Event (GA), Birmingham New Music Festival (AL), Brave New Works (CA), Fulcrum Point New Music (IL), SCI Concerts, Stony Brook Premieres! (NYC), Circuit Bridges (NYC), New Music Gathering (MN), John Donald Robb Composers' Symposium (NM), An Art Artistry (GR), Electroacoustic Music Festival Ecos Urbanos (MX), and the International Ferienkruse für Neue Musik Darmstadt (DE) in venues such as Symphony Space (NYC), Abron Arts Center (NYC), the Englert Theatre (IA), Open House Chicago (IL), Detroit Opera House (MI), Weatherspoon Art Museum (NC), Elsewhere Museum (NC) the Canada International Film Festival, the Lightworks Film Festival (MI), and the Utopia Film Festival (MD), among others.
Recordings of Marquez's music have been released on ABLAZE Records (USA), RMN Classical Records (UK), Sarton Records (PL), E.M.P.i.R.E.S Records (USA), 910 Noise (USA), and Bahay Records (USA).
Marquez holds a PhD in composition from the University of Iowa in addition to an MM from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Joshua currently serves as a Resident Composer for the Saint Mary's College Summer Composition Intensive in Notre Dame, IN (2013-2023), having previously taught at the University of Iowa and the Preucil School of Music.
He has studied with David Gompper, Josh Levine, Mark Engebretson, and Alejandro Rutty in addition to private studies with Samuel Adler, Derek Bermel, Michael Harrison, Laura Kaminsky, David Lang, and Augusta Read Thomas.