President and owner, 2018-present
Craftsman, 2003-2018

Joseph grew up in Sioux Falls, SD. A family connection to Germany led to an interest in foreign languages; in 1996/97 he received the Congress-Bundestag Scholarship as a junior at Washington High School, Sioux Falls, to fund a youth exchange to Munich, Germany. After graduation in 1998 and enrollment at the University of South Dakota, he received scholarships from USD Second Languages Department, and the Farber Fund to pursue studies in Jena, Germany at the Friedrich Schiller University. This exchange year turned into a 3 year residency in Germany puctuated by periods of independent study, seasonal employment, and nomadic travel throughout Europe. A high point during this time was working for MuenchenMusik, a classical concert organizer in Munich that introduced him to the joys and challenges of live classical music.

“In Spring of 2003, John Nordlie hired me on as an apprentice in the wood shop during the construction of Opus 45 for Kernersville Moravian Church, in Kernersville N.C. The combination of all the different skills and knowledge required to make a successful instrument made the work interesting, and the culture of workmanship, education, and camaraderie at the Nordlie Shop made this career incredibly appealing.”

“I love what I do! It has been a rewarding career progressing gradually through shop responsibilities, moving from the wood shop to the metal shop, and metal shop to the voicing room. I completed my University studies part-time and received Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and German from University of South Dakota, class of 2012. I became project manager in 2016 during the construction of the instrument at Cathedral of Holy Trinity, New Ulm.”