Joe Goodkin has been performing his unique interpretation of The Odyssey for high school and college audiences since 2003. Drawing on his Bachelor’s Degree in the Classics from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and his years of writing and performing original rock and acoustic music, Joe has created a 30 minute long composition for solo acoustic guitar and voice, which deconstructs the story of The Odyssey in 24 short songs, invoking the spirit of the ancient Greek bards who originally brought forth the timeless stories of Odysseus and the heroes of the Trojan War.
Joe’s performance represents in a contemporary musical mode both the abridged plot and the performance circumstances of Homer’s original oral composition of The Odyssey. Part lecture, part musical performance, part interactive discussion, and often performed without amplification, Joe’s Odyssey is an oasis of simplicity and substance in our modern desert of technology and style.
Joe has performed his Odyssey nearly 200 times in 22 states and has been honored with several ASCAP Composers’ awards.
