Joel Puckett

Joel Puckett is an American composer noted for his orchestral, chamber, choral, and operatic works. His music has been commissioned, performed, and recorded by ensembles including the London Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Opera, "The President’s Own" United States Marine Band, and Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras. He is Professor of Music and Chair of Music Theory, Ear Training, and Keyboard Skills at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University.

WWW joelpuckett.com

Early life and education

Puckett was born into a musical family and earned a B.M. in composition from Shenandoah University and completed his M.M. and D.M.A. at the University of Michigan, where he studied under Michael Daugherty, William Bolcom, Bright Sheng, Will Averitt, and Thomas Albert.

Career

Teaching and academic appointments

Since 2011, Puckett has served on the faculty at Peabody Conservatory, becoming full professor in 2023 and chairing the Department of Music Theory, Ear Training, and Keyboard Skills since 2017. In 2022, Puckett also joined the composition faculty. His past teaching includes positions at Shenandoah University and Towson University, and composer-in-residence roles with ensembles such as the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras.

Major works and commissions

The Fix – Opera with libretto by Eric Simonson, commissioned and premiered by Minnesota Opera as part of its New Works Initiative; it received widespread press coverage including Opera News, Star Tribune, Twin Cities Arts Reader, and Wall Street Journal.The Shadow of Sirius – Flute concerto inspired by W.S. Merwin’s poetry, commissioned by a University of Michigan consortium and premiered by Amy Porter; it was later recorded and featured on a Grammy-nominated Naxos album.I Wake in the Dark and Remember – Viola concerto commissioned by a consortium of over 20 institutions.There Was a Child Went Forth – Orchestral song cycle for tenor Nicholas Phan and the U.S. Marine Band Chamber Orchestra.

Performances and broadcasts

Puckett's works have been featured on Performance Today, Sirius XM's Living American and Symphony Hall, and performed and recorded internationally by ensembles such as the London Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Opera, The Crossing, and the U.S. Marine Band.

Style and reception

Puckett’s music is widely praised for its emotional immediacy, lush orchestration, and stylistic breadth. *Opera News* described The Fix as “a delicately wrought, gorgeously orchestrated, beautifully sung paean to a lost American dream.” Gramophone praised his choral work I Enter the Earth as “a real find,” noting “resonances at several removes of Ligeti’s Lux aeterna.”

Awards and honors

Johns Hopkins Alumni Association Excellence in Teaching Award
Catalyst Award, Johns Hopkins University
BMI Student Composer Award
National Endowment for the Arts grant for The Fix
Chorus America/American Composers Forum Dale Warland Commission for I Enter the Earth
New Music USA Grant

Discography

Year	Work Title	Performers	Album	Label
2025	There was a Child Went Forth, Trumpet Concerto 2, String Quartet Concerto	Nicholas Phan, Sean Jones, The London Symphony Orchestra	Short Stories in London	Avie Records
2025	We Dreamt of Roses	Timothy McAllister and Liz Aims	Encores Volume 2	Neuma Records
2023	I wake in the dark and remember	Kimberly Sparr, Damon Talley, LSU Wind Ensemble	I wake in the wake and remember
2023	There was a Child Went Forth	Nicholas Phan, The President's Own Marine Band	Aspire volume 2	Marine Band Label
2021	I enter the earth	The Crossing	The Tower and the Garden	Navona
2020	Shadow of Sirius	Youngstown State University	Made in Youngstown
2019	Concerto Duo	Anthony McGil, Demarre McGill, Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra	Winged Creatures	Cedille Records: 90000 187
2018	that secret from the river	Northwestern University Symphony Wind Ensemble, Mallory Thompson	Reflections	Summit Recordings
2017	Asimov’s Aviary	The United States Air Force Band	75 Years Of Musical Excellence	BOL-1601
2016	it perched for vespers nine	The President's Own Marine Band	Picture Studies	Marine Band
2016	Une petite Barcarolle	Nicholas Phillips, piano	IMPRESSIONS	Blue Griffin Recordings
2016	knells for bonnie	Sarah Frisof, University of Kansas Chamber Winds, Paul Popiel	Light and Shadows	Clavier Records
2016	Shadow of Sirius	David Cramer, Temple University Wind Symphony	Wind Concerti	BCM+D Records
2016	Avelynn’s Lullaby	Craig Pare, DePauw University	United Artists	Mark Recordings
2015	Avelynn’s Lullaby	North Texas University Wind Symphony, Eugene Migliaro Corporon	Offerings	GIA
2015	Shadow of Sirius	Marianne Gedigian, University of Texas Wind Ensemble, Jerry Junkin	Shadow of Sirius	Naxos Blu-Ray Series Surround Sound Mix
2015	Shadow of Sirius	Marianne Gedigian, University of Texas Wind Ensemble	Shadow of Sirius	Naxos Wind Band Classics Stereo Mix
2014	bill-y-tude	Nicholas Phillips, piano	American Vernaculars	New Focus Records
2014	Southern Comforts	Marjorie Bagley, Casella Sinfonietta, Kevin Geraldi	arts and letters	Equilibrium Records 119
2014	Short Stories	McIver Quartet and the UNCG Orchestra, Kevin Geraldi	Stories and Sanctuaries	Equilibrium Records
2014	Infinite Morning	Scott Conklin, Alan Huckleberry	Pieces and Passages	Albany
2013	Asimov’s Aviary	“The Chief’s Own” Air Force Band	Air Force Blue	Naxos Wind Band Classics
2013	Shadow of Sirius	Alison Brown Sincoff, Ohio University Wind Symphony	Mothership	Mark Records
2012	Avelynn’s Lullaby	University of Texas Arlington Wind Symphony, Doug Stotter	Ceremonial	Mark Records
2012	Shadow of Sirius	Amy Porter, University of Michigan Symphony Band, Michael Haithcock	Artifacts	Equilibrium Records
2011	Infinite Morning	Robert Benton	Mirrors	Potenza Music Records
2010	it perched for Vespers nine	The President's Own Marine Band	New Music Corner	Marine Band
2009	Colloquial Threads	Scott Conklin, Alan Huckleberry	Violinguisitics: American Voices	Albany
2009	it perched for Vespers nine	UNCG Wind Ensemble	Fireworks!	Equilibrium Records
2009	it perched for Vespers nine	University of Florida Wind Ensemble	Raise the Roof	Mark Records