Joshua Missal composer

Joshua Missal is known throughout the United States as a composer, conductor, educator, performer, and clinician. With over 50 published works to his credit, he has successfully explored a variety of mediums including orchestra, band, chorus, percussion ensemble, brass choir, string orchestra, and small ensembles. He has been a member of ASCAP since 1964.

Missal received his B.M. and M.M. degrees from the Eastman School of Music, where he was a member of the Rochester Philharmonic viola section. After leaving Rochester he became the director of the Albuquerque Philharmonic. WWII found him serving as CWO Air Force Band Leader. Following the war, Missal headed the Music Education department at Southern Mississippi University, and conducted the Southern Miss. Symphony. He was then appointed head of the Music Theory/Composition department at Wichita State University, also serving as principal viola and associate conductor of the Wichita Symphony. After 18 years at WSU with his late wife, Pegge, he owned and operated the Missal Art Gallery in Connecticut, later moving the gallery to Arizona where they continued to operate it until 1986. Missal was principal viola with the Hartford and New Britain Symphonies, headed the Tunxis Community College Music Department and conducted the Hartford Civic Orchestra.

Since arriving in Arizona where he now resides, he has been the conductor of the Scottsdale Civic Orchestra, and continues to guest conduct throughout the Southwest.

He is listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the Southwest, Who's Who in American Art, and in music and art reference books. Author of numerous articles on music and art published in periodicals nation-wide, he is also author of five modern-day circus adventure novels and two Sci-Fi novels for young adults. The Arizona Republic has described Missal as a "Renaissance Man."