布鲁克·乔伊斯95年, music has been much more than an overture to a career—it encompasses his passion for community and advocacy.
乔伊斯 reflected upon his journey as a musician and composer after earning two awards from the American Guild of Organists (AGO)—awards given to musicians who present an idea for a commissioned piece along with their portfolio. Winning composers are then commissioned to write the piece.
乔伊斯, 路德学院的常驻作曲家, submitted proposals in two categories: the Publishing Award in Choral Composition and the Marilyn Mason Award in Organ Composition. 他获得了两个奖项, and he’s now composing two pieces that will be performed at the 2024 AGO 会议 in San Francisco.
“It was a validation of the work I’ve done,乔伊斯说。.
He credits Lawrence with creating a strong foundation for his musicianship. He honed his ability to hear music in his head—a skill vital for composition—during his time as a student. 乔伊斯 said piano professors Allen Gimbel and Catherine Kautsky and organ professor George Damp always pushed him to explore his own capabilities and ideas.
“每隔一段时间, I’ll pull out music I worked on in college and I’ll see their handwriting in that music,乔伊斯说。. “There’s something that’s just so special about it … those lessons I learned from them I think about all the time.”
Integrate intellectual and musical virtuosity in a supportive community that will empower you to find your musical path.
在十大菠菜台子时, 乔伊斯与其他音乐家有密切的联系, which allowed him to create a portfolio full of fantastic recordings. 从那时起，他的道路上就被赋予了显著的荣誉.
在劳伦斯, 乔伊斯 began studying at the Cleveland Institute of 音乐, 他在哪里获得硕士学位的. While there, he received the Darius Milhaud Award in recognition of his composition work.
He also received the Joseph Bearns Prize from Columbia University. The award was key to his acceptance to Princeton University, where he earned his doctorate.
乔伊斯后来获得了韦恩·彼得森奖, which awarded him with a performance of his piece by the San Francisco Youth Symphony. The opportunity for an orchestra performance was a great publicity and networking opportunity, 他说.
乔伊斯 has been at Luther 大学 since 2005, teaching composition and musicianship. He said he has loved working with another liberal arts institution.
“I feel that for most students, a liberal arts education is a great way to do college,乔伊斯说。.
乔伊斯 has found the community of Decorah, Iowa, a fantastic fit for his music. He directs the choir and instrumental ensemble at his church. He loves playing the piano for service every week and has found it to be a great way to stay in touch with his performance skills.
“That spiritual part of me is important, and doing church music is a great outlet,他说.
乔伊斯也是作曲界的倡导者, advocating for opportunities for young composers and underrepresented composers. As a professor, 乔伊斯 puts traditionally marginalized composers at the forefront of his curriculum. 通过这样做, he hopes students will notice other areas of their studies where this isn’t happening and ask themselves why.
乔伊斯 teaches theory courses in music that has been historically marginalized, too, such as hip-hop.
“最终, musicians and artists do have the power to change the world…in the way we make people feel and make people think,乔伊斯说。.
除了写委托AGO的作品, 乔伊斯 is working on two concert pieces using air quality data from Madison, 威斯康辛州. One is a commission from the 威斯康辛州 音乐 Teachers Association, 迈克尔·米兹拉希的帮助下, 劳伦斯笔下的弗兰克. 沙塔克音乐教授. 乔伊斯 said he is looking forward to giving a sound to environmental problems.
乔伊斯 also gave advice to current and future Lawrentians: “Don’t be afraid to change your mind,他说. “Listen to your instructors and take all of the creative and intellectual risks that you possibly can.”