Originally from Chicago, Joan Szymko studied music at the Chicago Musical College at Roosevelt University and the University of Illinois (Urbana) where she received a B.S. in Music Education (choral emphasis). Her music education began at an early age in a home that was always filled with music; Her father was a great lover of classical music and her mother played the piano by ear. All five siblings took piano lessons and music making was a regular family activity. Joan started writing songs as a teenager in high school, where she was active in choir and led music at Mass.
After college Szymko moved to the Pacific Northwest. She began writing choral music in earnest in the mid 80's to fill the repertoire needs of the church and community choirs she led while living in Seattle. While directing the Seattle Women's Ensemble (1981-91) she had found a dearth of mature, substantive, contemporary pieces for adult treble ensemble. She also composed worship music with gender inclusive texts for University Baptist Church, a progressive Christian congregation she served as music minister. During this time she briefly studied composition with Gerald Kechley at the University of Washington where she also studied multicultural music education.
In 1993 Szymko moved to Portland, Oregon to take on the leadership of Aurora Chorus, a 100+ voice community chorus. She brought extensive experience in conducting women’s voices and a wide knowledge of peace and justice repertoire to this chorus whose mission was "women in harmony for peace." Fifteen years later, she continues to inspire and motivate singers of widely varying musical abilities as they come into their own voices and aspire to choral excellence as Aurora members.
Soon after arriving in Portland, Szymko founded a select women's choir, Viriditas Vocal Ensemble. “Viriditas" is a word coined by Hildegard von Bingen meaning "greening power"— the force that permeates all of creation, making all things grow, expand and celebrate. Szymko was motivated by the "greening power of song" to open hearts, lift spirits and heal brokenness. With Viriditas she sought to provide an exceptional, eclectic choral experience for both singers and audience. Performances explored connections between music and ritual, unique collaborations, and aimed to bring down the "fourth wall" between singers and audience. These years with Viriditas (1994-2002) were a time of "personal greening," as she composed prolifically for this group as well as for Aurora Chorus and other ensembles.
It was also during this period that she began her long collaboration with Robin Lane and Do Jump! Movement Theater. A resident composer with Do Jump! since 1995, Szymko has performed her music with the company at their home theater in Portland and on tour, including runs on Broadway, at the Kennedy Center and at the Geffen Theater Los Angeles. Music for Do Jump! is featured on her CD of original works, “Openings,” as is music composed for Viriditas and Aurora between 1995-1998. It was this CD that caught the attention of Santa Barbara Music Publishing editor, Barbara Harlow. Harlow published four pieces from "Openings" and Santa Barbara soon became Szymko's primary publisher. In spring 2010, SBMP will have released their 50th Szymko octavo. She also has octavos in the catalogs of Roger Dean Publishing Company, earthsongs, Treble Clef Press and Yelton Rhodes Music. Szymko plans to launch a self publishing venture, Viriditas Music Press, later in 2010.
Abundant lyricism, rhythmic intensity and vigorous attention to text are hallmarks of Joan Szymko's diverse and distinctive choral writing. Fresh and inspiring, her text selections are as notable as her music. Szymko titles have appeared in performances and/or in reading sessions at the last four National Conferences of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) including repeated main stage performances (3) of "Nada te turbe." With this exposures has come commissions for new work and increasing exposure abroad. "Vivos Voco," commissioned by the San Francisco Girls Chorus, was performed by SFGC's Chorissima at the World Symposium on Choral Music 7 in Kyoto, 2005. "Ave Maria" was selected as a compulsory piece for the Japanese Choral Association's 2006 National Choral Competition. Szymko's "Hodie" (Gloria) is on the repertoire list for the 8th International Choir Festival held in Hungary in August 2010. In 2009 Szymko was a Fellow at Instituto Sacatar, an International Artist Residency in Bahia, Brazil where she began work on a choral/orchestral work inspired by the African based religious and musical culture of Bahia.
The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) has recognized Szymko's contribution to choral arts in America by selecting her as the recipient of the 2010 Raymond W. Brock Memorial Commission. The resulting piece, “All Works of Love” will be premiered at all seven regional conferences of the ACDA in the spring of 2010.
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