Joan Szymko (b.1957) is widely regarded as an outstanding composer of choral music in North America today. With a catalog of over 150 published choral works, her music is regularly performed in the US  and abroad, including performances at national and international choral festivals and competitions.  She has presented her music in sessions at both regional and national conferences of the American Choral Director's Association (ACDA) and was selected to present at the 2020 World Symposium on Choral Music in Auckland, New Zealand. Notably, her works have been sung on stage or in sessions at every National ACDA Conference since 2003. The ACDA recognized Szymko's lasting impact on the choral arts in America by selecting her as a recipient of the prestigious Raymond W. Brock Memorial Commission in 2010.  A dynamic conductor, Szymko has led choirs in the Pacific Northwest for over forty years. As a visiting artist, she workshops her music with choirs in various settings in the US and abroad. 

Joan’s decades of experience as a professional choral director animate her compositions; her embodied approach to singing and rhythm, dedication to craft and artistry, penchant for storytelling and insistence of quality texts—all relate to her predilections as a conductor/artistic director and are reflected in her diverse, distinctive choral compositions. Noted for her compelling text selections, her choral music consistently displays a discerning, stirring marriage of words and music. She approaches text setting as if telling a story, utilizing varying textures,  tempi and tonalities that keep the listener alert and engaged; her intent is to create a visceral arc of discovery for singer and listener, always seeking an emotive clarity that both loves the voice and honors the poet. 

Commissioned over 60 times, her works have been premiered by all manner of choral ensemble: professional, university, church, LGBTQ, children’s and community choruses. Her music for women’s voices has been described as: “stretching beyond the ordinary and the expected to the refreshing and powerful.” (CHORAL JOURNAL)   As resident composer and performer with Portland’s Do Jump! Movement Theater (1994-present), she created underscoring for major touring productions, earning praise from the New York Times for her “ethereal vocal music.” In addition to self published works, her music appears in the catalogs of Santa Barbara Music Publishing, Roger Dean Publishing, Oxford University Press, Walton Music, earthsongs and Treble Clef Press.