Joe Florance
Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Joe Florance (they/them) is a second year Master of Music student at Arizona State University (ASU) studying with Dr. Albie Micklich. At ASU, Joe performs with the ASU Wind Ensemble and ASU Symphony Orchestra. Their goal at ASU is to continue to refine their craft as a musician while promoting new works by underrepresented composers.
Joe holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Maryland (UMD) in Bassoon Performance (BM) studying with Joseph Grimmer and in Music Education (BME). During their time at UMD, Joe worked under the batons of Dr. Michael Votta, Maestro David Neely, and Dr. Andrea Brown. Joe also had numerous opportunities to work and perform with chamber groups at UMD including local performances with their wind quintet.
In addition to their collegiate study, Joe has participated in masterclasses, workshops, and collaborations with Aaron Pergram, Frank Morelli, Glenn Einschlag, WIlliam Short, George Sakakeeny, Sophie Dervaux, and Monica Ellis and the Imani Winds. Joe has also had opportunities to perform with the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra and the Capital CIty Symphony (Washington, DC) and has performed at the International Double Reed Society Conference (IDRS). At the 2024 IDRS conference in Flagstaff, AZ, Joe gave two world premiere performances, Kincaid Rabb’s Cabinet of Curiosities and Sergey Khvorostianov’s Azan. These works were premiered alongside other members of the ASU Bassoon Studio. While in high school, Joe studied with Victoria King and Dr. Javier Rodriguez, who helped shape their most formative years as a bassoonist.
As an educator, Joe spent the 2022-23 school year student-teaching at Longfellow Elementary School in Columbia, MD and Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, MD. In these internships, they worked with band, orchestra, and jazz students alongside mentor teachers. Joe has a strong passion for public education and continues to advocate for public and equitable access to quality music education.
In their spare time, Joe loves to travel and has been to 45 US states and 20 countries. At home, Joe can be found cooking, reading, hiking, cycling, or playing video games when they’re not too busy practicing.
