Bio

M Joseph Willette  (b. 1997) is a composer and educator currently residing in the bustling city of Lincoln, Nebraska. Often drawing inspiration from queer spaces and culture, Joey (they/them) uses delicate timbres, rich sonorities, and driving beats to capture the idyllic intimacies and onerous tribulations of the human experience. Recent projects include collaboration with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and No Divide KC on “Working Hard & Hardly Working”, a operetta with libretto by Luke "Skippy" Harbur exploring queer vulnerability.

Joey is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Composition with cognates in music theory and musicology, studying with Dr. Greg Simon. Joey holds a Bachelor’s degree in Instrumental Music Education from Troy University, and a Master’s degree in Music Composition from Wichita State University, where they studied with Dr. Traci Mendel and Dr. David MacDonald, respectively.
Joey’s additional interests lie in the world of drag and representations of gender through music and performance. They host a podcast, This Mug is Beat, which explores the ways in which drag performers engage with gender through movement, physical aesthetics, song, and presence through interviews with mostly alternative and underrepresented performers throughout the US.