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"The artist is always beginning. Any work of art which is not a beginning, an invention, a discovery is of little worth."

                    - Ezra Pound

About

A Seminole native, Joy began the piano at the age of three and studied the Suzuki method with Gay Pool. She made her solo debut at the age of seven, playing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 with the Eagle Symphony. At the age of ten, she competed in the International Festival for Creative Pianists, and won numerous awards including "Best Idaho Pianist," "Best Original Composition by a Female Composer," and "Most Creative International Pianist." She has won several notable competitions and was the featured soloist in concertos performed by the Treasure Valley Youth Symphony, Meridian Symphony, and the Boise State University Symphony Orchestra. She has also won the Music Teachers National Association competition twice, and was featured in the “Stars of Steinway” concert series along with performers such as Yoonie Han, Dr. Theresa Bogart, and Dr. Mark Hansen. She has been commissioned to perform the Franz Liszt transcription of Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique for the same concert series.


She was offered numerous scholarships at notable universities including the elite Curtis Institute of Music - where notable composers such as Leonard Bernstein and Samuel Barber studied - and ultimately pursued her music degree at Boise State University. She was the recipient of the Jeker Family Trust Full-Ride Scholarship from 2009-2013. During her time at BSU, Joy studied piano under Dr. Del Parkinson and cello under Dr. Brian Hodges. She also participated in the BSU Symphony Orchestra with cello, harp, and piano. She graduated in 2013 from BSU with her bachelor’s in piano performance and Cum Laude honors. She has studied with professors from the College of Idaho, Idaho State University, Eastman School of Music, Curtis Institute of Music, Eastern Washington University, and the University of Michigan.


Joy currently works as the staff collaborative pianist for Whitworth University Music Department. She is the active principal harpist for the Coeur D'Alene Symphony Orchestra and Washington-Idaho Symphony Orchestra. She is currently a member of the contemporary chamber performance group 208 Ensemble and serves as their Executive Director, pianist, composer, and website developer. She has performed and recorded with them at notable venues such as the Morrison Center, MING studios, Boise Contemporary Theater, and during the Treefort music fest. An avid composer, her compositions have been published and won numerous state-wide and international awards. She has had several works published, and in 2018 was commissioned to compose a work for choreography by the dance school of the University of Texas. She has had works premiered annually for 6 years by the Northwest Ecumenical Concert Chorale. She served as the musical director of the True Story Project, performing at numerous venues on cello and vocals, including two featured performances at the Sapphire Room and Treefort. 

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Joy served as a music director at St. Mark’s Community Church for over 10 years and has actively been involved in various charitable organizations. A member of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, she was a keynote speaker at the NPM annual conference in 2017. She is also a member of the National Federation of Music Clubs and served as the Scholarship and Budget Committee co-chairman, state representative, and website developer for the Treasure Valley Federated Music Club. She was also employed as a wedding liaison for the Chateau des Fleurs of Eagle, ID, and she works privately as a wedding and event coordinator. She is the founder and director of the Mary Helen Project, and has also worked with both the Fourth Judicial District as a Guardian ad Litem and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul's Re-Entry Program. She currently maintains a private piano studio and plans to continue teaching music and composing in the years to come. 

"She is a bit of a wunderkind...a marvelously accomplished cellist and keyboard player, in addition to being gifted with a beautiful voice and perfect ear!"

     -Alan Cochran, www.alankimcochran.com/artist-bios

 

"Working with Joy was an amazing experience. She is a fabulously talented arranger, a fantastic composer, and an all-around brilliant artist. She is incredibly creative and her abilities span so many categories."

    - Ashley Leigh, collaborating artist

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"She is a brilliant pianist, harpist, vocalist, dancer, cellist, and composer...she always receives the most compliments about her outfits but won't necessarily admit to you that she in fact designed and made that outfit...You guys, she might be a genius."

   - Jake Saunders, collaborating artist

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"Joy made our wedding more beautiful than we could have imagined! It was like she could read our minds - we never had to worry about ANYTHING, she had absolutely every detail nailed down, and thought of EVERYTHING we needed. 20/10 would recommend!"

    - Andrew and Sara, clients

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