Joan Szymko
Joan Szymko is an American choral conductor, music educator and composer. She was born in Chicago and studied choral conducting and music education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, graduating in 1978. She settled in Seattle, Washington, and worked as a music teacher, composer and choral conductor.
In 1993 Szymko took a position directing the Aurora Chorus in Portland, Oregon. She founded the women's choir Viriditas Vocal Ensemble in 1994. Szymko composed the music for the Broadway musical Do Jump! at the New Victory Theater and Jan Maher's play Most Dangerous Women.
Works
Szymko composes mainly for theater and choral ensembles. Selected works include:- All Works of Love for the Brock Commission 2010
- Nothing But Mud
- The Call
- Carpe Diem
- Ein grosser Gesang
- Entro en la vida
- The Freshness
- Hear Me! We Are One
- Herbst
- How Did the Rose
- I Lift My Eyes
- I Dream a World
- Illumina la tenebre
- It Takes a Village
- Openings Virga Records
- 2010 IMEA Honors Chorus & All-State Chorus Mark Records
- Texas Music Educators Association 2008: All-State Women's and Men's Choir Mark Records
- Consecrate: the Place and Day to Music Mark Records
- Faces of a Woman MD&G Records
- Cradle of Fire: A Tribute to the Women of World War II Indianapolis Women's Label