Joan Szymko (born 1957) 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.[1]

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[2] and Jan Maher's play Most Dangerous Women.[3]

Works

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Szymko composes mainly for theater and choral ensembles. Selected works include:

Her music has been recorded and issued on CD, including:

  • Openings (CD, 1998) Virga Records
  • 2010 IMEA Honors Chorus & All-State Chorus (CD, March 31, 2010) Mark Records
  • Texas Music Educators Association 2008: All-State Women's and Men's Choir (CD, April 1, 2008) Mark Records
  • Consecrate: the Place and Day to Music (CD, October 2, 2007) Mark Records
  • Faces of a Woman (CD, January 8, 2008) MD&G Records
  • Cradle of Fire: A Tribute to the Women of World War II (CD, December 14, 2004) Indianapolis Women's Label[5][better source needed]

References

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  1. ^ "Featured Composers – Joan Szymko". newmusicworks.org. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  2. ^
  3. ^ Maher, Jan (2006). Most Dangerous Women: Bringing History to Life Through Readers' Theater. Pearson Education. pp. ix, 63. ISBN 9780325009100.
  4. ^ "American Choral Directors Association". Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
  5. ^ Amazon.com listing
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