Hailing from the vibrant arts community of the New Hampshire seacoast, Josh has been involved in creative disciplines for nearly twenty years. Growing up, he was immersed in singing, visual art, theatre, and at age 9, the trombone. Encouraged by his endlessly supportive family, Josh quickly began seeking out any reason to have his instrument out of the case. Through summer camps, after school ensembles, and bands with his friends, Josh was drawn to music of all kinds, rather than a fascination with a particular genre. This would eventually lead to advanced private and collegiate study of the instrument.
Driven to achieve technical expertise of the instrument, Josh’s studies at the University of New Hampshire were grounded in classical study. As a member of the university’s wind symphony, symphony orchestra, jazz bands, jazz combos, and brass quintet, Josh applied the technique honed in lessons to a variety of musical settings. Josh was able to travel domestically and abroad for performances during this time, giving concerts and masterclasses to audiences of all ages. The more he played, the more he found a home in improvised music, propelling him to specialize his studies in graduate school.
At the Eastman School in Rochester, New York, Josh was fortunate to be surrounded by some of the best young musicians in the country. Driven by the friendly competition and inspiring skills of his peers, he became involved in composition, arranging, and performance of a variety of styles. Not wanting to give up his classical studies, he was fortunate to be a member of the Eastman Trombone Choir, and a faculty coached brass quintet. Additionally, Josh was able to gain experience as an instructor, leading the Jazz Performance Workshop for Non-Jazz Majors. This experience drew Josh to explore future teaching and professional performance roles.
Currently, Josh lives in Boston, Massachusetts, where he is continuing to take on a variety of creative pursuits. As a performer, he is the trombonist of the award winning Soggy Po Boys, subs regularly with regional orchestras, and records and performs a wide variety of new music. Josh also maintains a variety of teaching duties through the Portsmouth Music and Arts Center, Note-worthy Experiences Music Studio, and as a clinician across the region. Josh also maintains an active schedule of photography commitments, specializing in headshot and live music photography.