Joseph Legaspi was born and raised in Manila, Philippines, where he studied at the University of the Philippines’ College of Music. During his studies, he performed with and directed school-based and professional choirs, and arranging for the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2003, he moved to the United States to study at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. There, he earned his Master of Music in Vocal Performance, Cognate in Choral Conducting in 2008; and Doctor of Music in Vocal Performance, Minor in Music History in 2014. 

Today, he continues mentoring young singers and maintaining a voice studio. Joseph is the the Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Decatur, Georgia.

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Joseph was the University Director of Music at Saint Peter’s University, a Jesuit university in Jersey City, New Jersey, where he carried out a range of roles. He was music director of the Aidan C. McMullen Chorale, with whom he has presented numerous concerts and produced two albums, Cantate Cum Gaudio in 2016 and Saint Peter’s Mass in 2015. He oversaw liturgical music for special university Masses and weekend Masses at St. Aedan’s: The Saint Peter’s University Church, and was music director of the Saint Peter’s University Schola and St. Aedan’s Schola as well as a regular cantor. He was artistic director for the Arts on Bergen concert series, which has been presenting concerts of vocal and instrumental music for the university and parish community since 2015. Lastly, he taught classes in voice and piano, putting into practice his philosophy that there is no set methodology suitable for every student, and that rather, a teacher’s duty is to present diverse strategies to help students find their natural, true voice.

 

Alongside his work at the Saints Peter and Paul,  Joseph is also an active performer, choral conductor, and music minister.

 

As a performer, Joseph has sung the baritone solo in Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem and given solo recitals in Jersey City, New York City, and many other venues across the United States. He has recorded new liturgical music for Oregon Catholic Press (OCP) and sung with various choirs in Bloomington, New York City, and Manila, including the prestigious Philippine Madrigal Singers and the Ateneo Chamber Singers. While at Indiana University, he performed in a number of operas; his favorite roles include Friedrich Bhaer in Little Women, Maximillian in Candide, Yamadori in Madama Butterfly, and Grégorio in Roméo et Juliette. He was a finalist at the V Certamen Habaneras para Solistas in Torrevieja, Spain, in 2014; the Joy in Singing Competitions in New York City, 2007; and National Music Competition for Young Artists in Manila, Philippines, in 2000. 

 

As a choral conductor and music minister, Joseph has led and accompanied various church choirs around northern New Jersey since 2003, including Saint Paul Catholic Center in Bloomington, IN; Indiana University Campus Ministry in Bloomington, IN; the First Christian Church in Martinsville, IN; Cranford United Methodist Church in Cranford, NJ; and Saint Joseph Church in Maplewood, NJ. These include both children’s and adult choirs in Roman Catholic, First Disciples and Methodist churches. 

 

In all his roles as performer, conductor, music minister, and educator, Joseph incorporates a wide variety of music: western and Filipino, classical and contemporary, traditional and popular, sacred and secular. This is in keeping with his belief that no style or era of music is inherently better or more important than any other, since every style and era played a role in growing the musical canon and shaping music as we know it; that a musician’s role is to both entertain through what is familiar, and to educate through what is outside of students’ and listeners’ comfort zones; and that it is not only possible, but vital, to honor tradition while embracing change.