Sing every day.Rabbi Akiva, by way of Michael Cherlin’s Music’s Making, and the title of Joey’s 2026 piece for solo guitar
- Now
- (2026), an open score for any and all performers. Perform it, record it, and add your voice to the map.
- Next
- For Cecilia, for violino grande, commissioned by Cecilia Gelland
- Listen
About
Joey Crane is a composer, cellist and guitarist based in Minneapolis, and for more than a decade one of the people making new music happen in the Twin Cities. His catalogue runs from solo voice and guitar to string quartets, choirs, film scores, interactive installations and open scores anyone can perform.
His music has been played by loadbang, Ensemble Dal Niente, United Instruments of Lucilin, Tak Ensemble, Artemis Vocal Ensemble, Duo Gelland, andPlay, Kyle Hutchins and many others, in Minnesota, Chicago, Luxembourg, Kyiv and Pavia.
From 2012 to 2025 he was Executive Director and Co-Artistic Director of 113 Composers Collective in Saint Paul, and from 2019 to 2024 he produced and directed the Twin Cities New Music Festival. He also directs for the stage, including Samuel Beckett’s Krapp’s Last Tape and That Time.
He studied composition at the University of Missouri–Kansas City and the University of Louisville, and earned his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota, where he later lectured in post-tonal theory. He teaches composition and theory privately.
What drives the work
We all search for ecstatic experiences…
A poem by Joey, and the idea underneath everything he makes.
An open score · 2026
PIG
For any and all performers
Three instructions that anyone can perform, anywhere, alone or together, with no training at all. PIG carries no copyright and is meant to be shared.
So this is an open call. Perform it, record it, and send it in. Every recording becomes a light on the map below, and together they make one long performance of PIG around the world.
PIG
For any and all performers
A
SNORT
Snort repeatedly. Initially quiet and sparse with long moments of silence.
B
SOOIE
Sing: Sooie repeatedly. Any pitches, low then high, short then long.
C
LAUGH
Try to make someone laugh by pretending to laugh. Do not laugh.
Voices of PIG
Perform it, then send it in
- Read the score above, or print the PDF. Perform it however you like: alone, with friends, a class, a choir, a crowd.
- Record it with whatever you have. A phone’s voice memo is perfect.
- Send it here with your name and where you are in the world. Every recording is listened to before it joins the map.
Thank you. Your PIG is on its way to Minneapolis.
Every recording is listened to. Once yours has been, it will join the map.
Recent work
Onomato-po-Polsku
The Dream Songs Project (Alyssa Anderson and Joe Spoelstra) performing Onomato-po-Polsku in April of 2026.
PIG
An open score of simple instructions that anyone can perform, whatever their training. It carries no copyright and is meant to be shared. Joey’s own fixed-media realization is built from recordings he made in his Minneapolis neighborhood.
Sing Every Day
Written in near-daily sittings through the summer of 2026, and offered as a thank-you to his teachers Michael Cherlin and James Dillon. The recording on this site is Joey’s own.
Gorilla
Mournful tones and pops of silliness, written in a notation of Joey’s own design that leaves the singers room to play.
Works
Poems
A book of poems · 2024 · free to read
wordkugels
Twenty-nine poems, to be performed aloud with abandon. Open the book and choose a poem from the contents.
Another book
Joey has a second book of poems that isn’t online. If you’d like to read it, write and ask him for a copy.
Stage & community
- 2012–25113 Composers CollectiveExecutive Director & Co-Artistic Director · Saint PaulArtistic vision and programming, curated performances featuring emerging talent, production schedules and budgets, grant proposals and funder reports.
- 2019–24Twin Cities New Music FestivalProducer & directorProduced and directed the festival across six seasons.
- StageSamuel Beckett: Krapp’s Last Tape and That TimeStage director & co-producerRehearsals, production logistics and direction.
- StageTiffany Skidmore: The Golden AssStage director & co-producerProduction of a new music-theatre work.
- 2015–Freelance composer, stage director & co-producerMinneapolisScores for concerts, film and multimedia; collaborations with musicians, dancers, filmmakers and multimedia artists; work performed internationally.
Coming
The Nothing Cafe
A third space Joey is planning in his future home: somewhere for musicians to come and experiment, record and tinker together.
Teaching & study
- 2023Lecturer, University of MinnesotaPost-tonal Theory; Post-tonal Ear-TrainingMinneapolis
- 2017–18Guest LecturerFolwell Performing Arts MagnetMinneapolis
- 2016Guest LecturerAvalon Charter SchoolSaint Paul
- 2011–15Graduate Teacher, University of MinnesotaMusic Theory, Ear Training, Sight-Singing, MusicologyMinneapolis
- 2011–Private composition & music theoryLessons, classes and workshopsTaking students. Write to Joey
Education
- 2015Ph.D., Music CompositionUniversity of MinnesotaWith James Dillon and Michael Cherlin
- 2011Master of Music, Music CompositionUniversity of LouisvilleLouisville, Kentucky
- 2009Bachelor of Music, Composition & TheoryUniversity of Missouri–Kansas CityKansas City, Missouri
Influences
Everything on the eye globe above. Select one to open it.
Life
Off the page, Joey is a liquor-industry professional, a writer, and a dog and frog parent. He reviews what he’s drinking on Instagram, with the odd detour into music and food, and writes about food and drink for Racket, the Twin Cities alt-weekly.
Contact
Commissions, performances, lessons, collaborations and score requests. PIG is free for anyone to perform: .
Minneapolis, Minnesota
PIG
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