Joseph Borsellino III

Paper Cranes was an endeavor to document a moment of bliss. The same evening I began writing this piece, I had given a close friend a birthday gift: a vinyl record wrapped in green patterned paper. In return, they crafted a tiny origami crane from the torn paper; a token of gratitude. This memento serves as a reminder to write from the heart, to embrace my story, and to harness meaning from every moment, experience, and interaction.

Joseph C. Borsellino III (BA, Temple University; Honors College) is a Boston-born professional musician and educator. Borsellino got his start playing piano at his family’s African Methodist Episcopal church before adding saxophone to his arsenal under the tutelage of Ben Schachter, Dick Oatts, and Tim Warfield. An acclaimed composer, Borsellino has written pieces for jazz ensembles and orchestras, and has scored commercial music for TV and short films. His original music has been featured in the Philadelphia Clef Club “Philadelphia Stories” performance series alongside that of Bobby Zankel, Odean Pope, and David Murray. In 2021, Borsellino was awarded the inaugural ISJAC Emerging Black Composer Prize for his jazz suite, “The Police State,” which has been broadcasted by Germany’s WDR Big Band as part of ISJAC’s Un[chart]ed Territory virtual showcase. Borsellino currently studies at the New England Conservatory in Boston, MA where he is pursuing his master’s in jazz composition. He enjoys teaching piano and saxophone lessons remotely from his home-studio in addition to recording, producing, and mixing creative projects both of his own making and for local musicians. On April 16th, 2021, Borsellino released his second full-length EP, “Last year was a beautiful, terrible mess,” a collection of collaborative projects recorded throughout 2020’s extensive lockdown.