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Biography

Dr. Joseph Higgins (he/him) is a conductor and educator who inspires creativity, curiosity, and understanding through art. In 2015, Higgins joined the faculty of Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey, where he conducts the Wind Ensemble and teaches courses in conducting and literature. During his tenure, the program has grown to include multiple directors, three concert ensembles, and the new “Pride of the Profs” Marching Band; ensembles under his direction have premiered over forty new works and collaborated with many world-class artists, including a recent residency with contemporary chamber ensemble Eighth Blackbird. For his exceptional leadership in the classroom, Higgins was awarded the Frances S. Johnson Innovative Teaching Award. He also received the Rowan University Values Award for Inclusivity in recognition of curating a “Music of Social Justice” performance series. The Rowan University Wind Ensemble performed at the 2020 College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Eastern Division Conference, and Rowan Bands are often invited to state and regional festivals and conferences.

In addition to his work at Rowan University, Higgins serves as guest conductor-clinician with outstanding professional, community, and student ensembles throughout the country, and he frequently teaches at conducting workshops and masterclasses for young musicians and educators. His current season includes performances in Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, as well as conducting the 2024 New Jersey All-State Band and Philadelphia Wind Symphony.

Higgins is a passionate advocate of socially-conscious programming that encourages greater connection among performers, audiences, and their environments. He served as co-chair of the Rowan University Catalysts for Sustainability initiative and is actively engaged with sustainability research, climate activism, and environmental education. Higgins founded and produced the first Sound Planet Music Festival in 2023; to learn more about recent sustainability programming and join future events, please visit: soundplant.me.

He earned doctor and master of music degrees in conducting from Northwestern University, where his primary teacher was Mallory Thompson, and a bachelor of music degree in music education from the University of Georgia. Prior to graduate study, Higgins taught at North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Georgia. His other interests include film, politics, drawing, history, and cycling. He lives in Haddon Heights, New Jersey, with his wife Michelle Higgins and their daughters, Eden and Iris.