Joe Bergen is a musician, educator, composer, and arts administrator who focuses on creating and developing diverse and equitable music communities. Joe is best known as a founding member and Co-Artistic Director of Mantra Percussion, Inc., a future-focused arts organization dedicated to a lasting influence on percussion performance and percussion education. Mantra Percussion’s ensembles have been cited by the New York Times as “…finely polished,” and applauded by National Public Radio’s All Things Considered for creating “…a paradigm shift” in percussion. Joe is the Director of Percussion at the New Jersey Youth Symphony, the Director of Percussion Studies and adjunct music education faculty at Caldwell University, adjunct music education faculty at Montclair State University, adjunct music faculty at Kean University, and is the NJ state chapter president of the Percussive Arts Society. He previously taught at Stevens Institute of Technology, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and was the interim wind ensemble director at Caldwell University. He has also taught instrumental music and general music in the Elizabeth, Rahway, Ramsey, and Newark Public Schools.
Joe has performed for film, TV, radio, and video game soundtracks, including the Rockstar video game of the year Red Dead Redemption, and the sci-fi movie thriller Arrival. Joe has toured North America, Asia, and Europe, with highlights including featured performances on the San Francisco Symphony’s American Mavericks series and Pulitzer-prize winning composer David Lang’s Collected Stories series at Carnegie Hall, Disney Hall’s REDCAT theater in Los Angeles, the Right Now festival in Seoul, Korea, and Sacrum Profanum series in Krakow, Poland. He can be heard on over a dozen albums and has premiered over one hundred works. Joe has presented educational workshops for Carnegie Hall, the New Jersey Music Educators Association, the Percussive Arts Society, Montclair State University, William Paterson University, and Mannes Conservatory of Music. His compositions have been performed by students and professional ensembles around the country.
Joe has taught or arranged for several groups in the marching arts including the Reading Buccaneers, Cadets2, Bushwackers, East Coast Percussion, and Jersey Surf. He has worked with over a dozen marching bands in the NJ area as an instructor, arranger, or music consultant. Joe marched in the Hawthorne Caballeros, Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps, and most recently with Crossmen Alumni Drum & Bugle Corps in 2024. He has judged for USBands outdoor and indoor seasons, as well as various state and regional music festivals. Joe is a doctoral student at Boston University, studying music education. He has a bachelor's degree in Classical Percussion from William Paterson University and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Montclair State University. His primary percussion teachers include Dr. John Ferrari, Tom Kolor and Gordon Gottlieb and composition studies with Nathan Davis and Dr. Marcos Balter.
Joe has performed for film, TV, radio, and video game soundtracks, including the Rockstar video game of the year Red Dead Redemption, and the sci-fi movie thriller Arrival. Joe has toured North America, Asia, and Europe, with highlights including featured performances on the San Francisco Symphony’s American Mavericks series and Pulitzer-prize winning composer David Lang’s Collected Stories series at Carnegie Hall, Disney Hall’s REDCAT theater in Los Angeles, the Right Now festival in Seoul, Korea, and Sacrum Profanum series in Krakow, Poland. He can be heard on over a dozen albums and has premiered over one hundred works. Joe has presented educational workshops for Carnegie Hall, the New Jersey Music Educators Association, the Percussive Arts Society, Montclair State University, William Paterson University, and Mannes Conservatory of Music. His compositions have been performed by students and professional ensembles around the country.
Joe has taught or arranged for several groups in the marching arts including the Reading Buccaneers, Cadets2, Bushwackers, East Coast Percussion, and Jersey Surf. He has worked with over a dozen marching bands in the NJ area as an instructor, arranger, or music consultant. Joe marched in the Hawthorne Caballeros, Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps, and most recently with Crossmen Alumni Drum & Bugle Corps in 2024. He has judged for USBands outdoor and indoor seasons, as well as various state and regional music festivals. Joe is a doctoral student at Boston University, studying music education. He has a bachelor's degree in Classical Percussion from William Paterson University and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Montclair State University. His primary percussion teachers include Dr. John Ferrari, Tom Kolor and Gordon Gottlieb and composition studies with Nathan Davis and Dr. Marcos Balter.