Joe Bugden studied composition at the University of Sydney under Professor Eric Gross. Joe also has a Masters Degree in American Literature from UNE. Since graduating and moving to Hobart in 1999, Joe has worked in arts administration, including as Executive Director of the Tasmanian Writers’ Centre (1999-2008) and currently as CEO of Salamanca Arts Centre in Hobart. During those years Joe has combined his day job with pursuing his personal creative endeavours, which include writing short fiction and composing music.

In 2002, The Listening Post (for solo viola) was commissioned by the Hobart City Council and has been included in a soundscape as part of the City of Hobart Memorial to recipients of the Victoria Cross.

In 2004 Joe’s 1st String Quartet was premiered at that year’s Canberra International Chamber Music Festival and it received its Hobart premiere in August 2021.

Joe has also written the libretti and composed the music for two chamber operas; in 2016 his chamber opera, Death By Defenestration, was presented as part of that year’s Festival of Voices, and The Call of Aurora, based on the story of Antarctic explorer, Douglas Mawson, was presented as part of the 2022 Australian Antarctic Festival in Hobart.

In 2022 classical guitarist, David Keating gave the premiere performance of ‘Three Easy Pieces’ composed by Joe for solo guitar.

In February 2024 Joe’s first collection of short stories, ‘Incidental Dreams from a Myoclonic Jerk’ was published by Ginninderra Press.

In July 2024 Joe was artist in residence in Montegiovi, Italy, supported by the La Baldi Foundation. During that residency, Joe commenced working on the libretto for a new chamber opera, to be based on the life of Luca Pacioli, a Renaissance monk and mathematician.