Joyful Noise (chorus)
Joyful Noise is a chorus of forty adults, ages 17–70, with physical or intellectual disabilities and acquired brain injuries. Founded in 2000 by Director, Allison Fromm, and chorus member, Beth Fromm, the ensemble is hosted by Bancroft, a support program for those with disabilities in southern New Jersey and Delaware.[1] Joyful Noise’s mission is to foster an atmosphere of community, acceptance, and teamwork in which members can discover their voices and express themselves through music.[2] The Joyful Noise Choral Series has been established as part of the chorus’s vision to create new musical repertoire well suited to the spirit and the vocal and musical aptitudes of Joyful Noise and similar ensembles.[3] To launch this series, a grant of 3,500 dollars from the Philadelphia Eagles[4] has made possible the commissioning of new choral compositions by recognized choral composers Chester Alwes, James Bassi, Gerald Cohen, Edie Hill, Rob Kennan, Elliot Levine, J. David Moore, Alice Parker, Steven Sametz, and Jon Washburn. Ron Jeffers, editor of Earthsongs Publications, printed the first of these pieces for Joyful Noise’s appearances at regional and national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association[5] and Chorus America[6] in 2008, 2009 and 2011. As a result of Joyful Noise's performance at the American Choral Directors Association's 2011 National Conference in Chicago, conductors in several states are developing similar ensembles for singers with disabilities.[7][8] In the summer of 2014, Joyful Noise performed at Harvard with members of the Harvard-Radcliffe Colleguim Musicum. [9] In 2014, Joyful Noise performed at the Yale International Choral Festival. [10]
Performance Highlights
- March 12, 2011 AMERICAN CHORAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION, National Conference Interest Session with Alice Parker (Hilton Grand Ballroom, Chicago, IL)
- March 11, 2011 CARIBBEAN REEF CONCERT (Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL)
- January 20, 2011 FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE CONCERT & FILM SCREENING[11] (WHYY Studio, Philadelphia, PA)
- October 22, 2010 BANCROFT BUTTERFLY BALL (The Westin, Mount Laurel, NJ)
- June 29, 2010 10TH ANNIVERSARY GALA: SINGING FROM THE HEART CHORAL FESTIVAL[12] led by Nick Page (Katz Jewish Community Center, Cherry Hill, NJ)
- March 20, 2010 VOICES OF PHILADELPHIA: ONE FAMILY, hosted by Singing City with Chester Children's Chorus & Northeast High (Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia, PA)
- June 11, 2009 CHORUS AMERICA ANNUAL CONFERENCE, Commissioning for the 'Exceptional' Chorus with Edie Hill, Alice Parker & Steven Sametz (Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn's Landing, Philadelphia, PA)
- April 30, 2011 AUTISM AWARENESS MEETING, National Anthem for New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine (The Center for Neurological and Neurodevelopmental Health, Voorhees, NJ)
- February 1, 2009 CELEBRATING BANCROFT IN DELAWARE: BANCROFT’S 125TH ANNIVERSARY SONGBOOK (St. Paul’s Methodist Church, Wilmington, DE)
- December 6, 2008 SONGS OF THE SEASON with ChildrenSong of New Jersey (Garden State Discovery Museum Cherry Hill, NJ)
- May 30, 2008 AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY RELAY FOR LIFE (Delran High School, Delran, NJ)
- April 24, 2008 HARMONY AND HOPE with choruses from The Wardlaw-Hartridge School (Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church, Plainfield, NJ)
- February 16, 2008 MISSION TO INSPIRE CONCERT & SING-ALONG (St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church, Hartford, CT)
- February 16, 2008 AMERICAN CHORAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION INTEREST SESSION with Alice Parker[13] (Hartford Marriott, Hartford, CT)
- December 11, 2007 HOLIDAY CONCERT with Kardon Chorale (Voorhees Town Center, Voorhees, NJ)
- September 7, 2008 NATIONAL ANTHEM FOR CAMDEN RIVERSHARKS (Campbell’s Field, Camden, NJ)
- June 24, 2006 OLD TIME ROCK ‘N ROLL (Markeim Art Center, Haddonfield, NJ)
- June 25, 2005 SINGING FOR CHILDREN (Garden State Discovery Museum, Cherry Hill, NJ)
- June 26, 2004 MELODIOUS MEMORIES with Alice Parker(First Baptist Church, Haddonfield, NJ)
- June 13, 2004 CHILDREN IN SONG (The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA)
- November 3, 2003 THE POWER OF MUSIC PRESENTATION (St. Mary’s College, South Bend, IN)
- JUNE 21, 2003 JOYFUL WINDS OF SONG with The Western Wind (First Baptist Church, Haddonfield, NJ)
- June 5, 2003 CHORUS AMERICA ANNUAL CONFERENCE, “The Power of Music” Presentation (Kansas City, MO)
- February 3, 2003 NEW JERSEY MUSIC EDUCATORS’ CONFERENCE (New Brunswick, NJ)
- July 4, 2002 INDEPENDENCE DAY SING-ALONG (Kresson View Center, Voorhees, NJ)
- April 13, 2002 JOYFUL HARMONY: A FESTIVAL OF SONG with Harmonium Choral Society (First Baptist Church, Haddonfield, NJ)
- December 9, 2001 SHARE THE JOY! with First Baptist Church Choir & Orchestra (First Baptist Church, Haddonfield, NJ)
- September 16, 2000 NEWTON COUNTY ARTS FESTIVAL (Haddonfield, NJ)
References
- ↑ "About Bancroft", 15 Jul. 2011
- ↑ "Welcome to Joyful Noise!", 15 Jul. 2011
- ↑ “Joyful Noise Choral Series", Earthsongs, 15 Jul. 2011
- ↑ Mitchell, Melissa, "U. of I. Music Student Leads Choral Group of Person with Disabilities", University of Illinois, 15 Jul. 2011
- ↑ "Melodies that Sing",The American Choral Directors Association", 15 Jul. 2011
- ↑ "Chorus America’s Conference in Philadelphia Offers Inspiration and Affirmation", Chorus America, 15 Jul. 2011
- ↑ Fromm, Allison, "Expressions of Joy" to begin Monday, June 6 in Albuquerque, Choralnet, 24 Jul. 2011
- ↑ Szalaj, Steven, "Joyful Noise Clone in Crystal Lake", Choralnet, 24 Jul. 2011
- ↑ Salley, Jessica, "Joyful Noise", Harvard Magazine, 15 Jul. 2014
- ↑ Fromm, Allison, "Joyful Noise", Yale, 15 Jul. 2014
- ↑ "Joyful Noise to Perform at WHYY Film Screening", 1 Aug 2011
- ↑ "Joyful Noise Special Needs Chorus Will Raise the Roof at Katz JCC, Jewish Community Voice, 1 Aug 2011
- ↑ Apple, Jan, "A Resounding, Joyful Noise Members of a Chorus of Adults with Special Needs Are Excited as They Prepare for a Concert.",The Inquirer, 1 Aug 2011