Joshua Kohl
Joshua Kohl is a composer, musician, producer, and co-director of the Seattle based multi-art group Degenerate Art Ensemble (DAE). He has performed with the group throughout the United States, and ten countries of Western and Eastern Europe.
Recent project highlights include a major museum exhibition of his work with DAE at the Frye Art Museum in 2011, performance of his work by the Kronos Quartet for their 40th anniversary celebration in 2013, a commission from the legendary Czech rock band Uz Jsme Doma to create an orchestral suite inspired by their music which he composed and conducted with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in 2016. He is involved in every aspect of Degenerate Art Ensemble’s performance installation work, and has served as lead producer for all DAE projects.
His work Red Shoes with DAE received the Music Theater Now award from the International Theater Institute at the Swedish Biennale in 2012 and a Bessie Award for music and sound design in 2025.
He is also an avid orchestral conductor of the music of his peers. In February of 2012 he conducted the music of fellow DAE composer Jherek Bischoff with the Wordless Music Orchestra in New York at Lincoln Center with vocalist David Byrne. He is also an avid musical instrument inventor.
