Block M Records - Joseph Gramley

artists - joseph gramley

Joseph Gramley

Multi-percussionist Joseph Gramley's dynamic and exciting performances as a soloist have garnered critical acclaim and enthusiasm from emerging composers, percussion aficionados, and first-time concert-goers alike. He is committed to bringing fresh and inventive compositions to a broad public, and each year he commissions and premieres a number of new works. His first solo recording, American Deconstruction, an expert rendition of five milestone works in multi-percussion's huge new modern repertoire, appeared in 2000 and was reissued in 2006. His second recording, Global Percussion, was released in 2005.

An invitation from Yo-Yo Ma in 2000 led Gramley to join the Silk Road Ensemble. In addition to participating in the group's extended residencies in American and European cities, Gramley has toured with Yo-Yo Ma and the Ensemble throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, performing in the world's finest concert halls. Gramley has studied percussion styles and instruments from around the globe, collaborating with internationally renowned musicians from India, Iran, China, Japan, Korea, and Central Asia. He has performed on three top-selling albums with Yo-Yo Ma on the SonyBMG label and appeared with the Ensemble on the Grammy-nominated CD with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Transitions and Transformations (CSO Resound, 2008). Most recently, he can be heard on the Silk Road’s CD Off the Map (Harmonia Mundi).

In October 2008, Gramley and Yo-Yo Ma jointly appeared as guest artists with the Nashville Symphony.

In addition to his solo and Silk Road work and his frequent appearances with chamber groups and orchestras, Gramley performs with the acclaimed British organist, Clive Driskill-Smith; the pair's first recording, Beaming Music, was issued in 2008.

Professor Gramley’s forthcoming releases on Block M Records will feature the percussion compositions by University of Michigan alumni and wind compositions by Henri Dutilleux with members of the University of Michigan Music, Theatre & Dance faculty and staff.