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Scott Joiner

Birth Place: Boulder, CO

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Scott Joiner BIO

The music of young American composer Scott Joiner draws on his rich musical background as an opera singer and jazz pianist, resulting in works that transcend category. He was hailed as “A dynamo… quite up to the task across the board” (New Music Connoisseur) for his first one-act opera, Connection Lost; The Tinder Opera, presented on film by The Center for Contemporary Opera, in addition to being staged live by Opera Carolina (2017), NYC’s Modern Opera Company at 244 Studio Theater (2020) and winning Best Score at Ireland's prestigious Kerry Film Festival.

Inspired by the idea of bringing younger audiences to opera and classical music, Joiner has been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered as well as Keep It Classical and Indie Opera Podcasts. The composer’s recent works include Mother To Son (text by Langston Hughes) for baritone Matthew Gamble presented in a virtual co-premiere by The American Opera Project; Richard’s Ride: A Clarinet Fantasy for clarinetist Jon Mannasse; Schumann in New York for cellists David Gibson and Thomas Mesa and Together, an extended pandemic-inspired scene for soprano with text from a single issue of The New York Times, commissioned and presented by the OmniARTS Foundation, performed by Jessica Fishenfeld.

Equally comfortable in a variety of styles, Joiner's pop duet North Star is available on Amazon/Apple Music and his original song, We Have a Voice, was commissioned as the theme for Sherrill Milnes’ 2020 Savannah Voice Festival. He appeared as a guest for the SVF's Michael Ching & Friends alongside composer Libby Larsen.

Joiner’s most recent opera, The Shower, with a libretto by John De Los Santos premiered at the Wiener Kammeroper in 2019 after the 2018 success of The Bridesmaids (libretto by Adam Taylor and Scott Joiner) at the Odeon Theater Wien, both under the auspices of the Vienna Summer Music Festival. Joiner was both composer and librettist for The Death of a Grailsman, which was commissioned and recorded in 2019. Joiner’s other works have been heard at The 92nd St Y, The National Arts Club and the Laurie Beechman Theatre. Joiner won the First Annual ECKERD SINGS! Choral Commission Award (2018) presented by Eckerd College, who premiered Joiner’s choral setting of The Golden Hour in 2019.

Active in all aspects of opera, Joiner served as Dramaturg, produced and performed the title role in world premiere of Eric Salzman’s Big Jim & the Small-Time Investors for Gramercy Opera and Cutting Edge Concerts at Symphony Space, conducted by Victoria Bond. The premiere was hailed as, “Truly a fine piece of post-modern creative work” (Opera News). He directed the world premiere of Michael Valenti and Stacey Luftig’s The Story of an Hour for Gramercy Opera in 2019. Joiner was assistant to CCO Composer-in-Residence Eric Salzman from 2012 until his death in 2017 when he was named artistic executor.

In addition to the Kerry Film Festival his works have been presented at dozens of film festivals around the world, winning Best Musical Score at the London Worldwide Comedy Short Film Festival, and a nomination for Best Score at the Southampton International Film Festival. Joiner wrote and conducted his own orchestral pops arrangements for A Night of Opera and Couture at Zankel Hall in 2018.

Mentored privately by award-winning composers Mark Adamo, Eric Salzman and John Bucchino, Joiner also holds a DMA from the Manhattan School of Music, where he took part in new music seminars with Pierre Boulez, Steve Reich and Richard Danielpour. As an opera singer, he created the role of Dickon in the world premiere of the Nolan Gasser’s opera The Secret Garden for the San Francisco Opera, worked with the Orchestra of the League of Composers on the premiere recording of Louis Karchin’s opera Jane Eyre and was a soloist in the US Premieres of Patrick Hawes’ The Great War Symphony and Howard Goodall’s Eternal Light: A Requiem at Carnegie Hall, where he also appeared as a soloist with the American Symphony Orchestra.

Scott Joiner News


Review: Jessica Fishenfeld Keeps The SUNNY SIDE UP Down In The Basement At The Birdland Theater


In all, Jessica’s ability to sing real jazz in a jazz soprano voice and then switch it up to full-on opera (usually while being hilarious) was impressive and delightful. 

Jessica Fishenfeld to Sing Debut Album THE NOTHING LAMP & More World Premieres at Coffey Street Studio


Amanda + James presents multi-genre soprano and actor Jessica Fishenfeld (America's Got Talent, Stonewall), celebrating not one, not two, but THREE live world premieres within this adventurous musical experience, alongside pianist Mila Henry (The American Opera Project, Opera Cowgirls). 

Minton's Cabaret Presents: THE SOUNDS OF SCOTT JOINER, Featuring Jessica Fishenfeld & More!


Minton's Cabaret presents THE SOUNDS OF SCOTT JOINER, featuring Jessica Fishenfeld & more! The concert will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 29 at 7pm & 9pm.

Savannah VOICE Festival Announces Return to Live Events


Savannah VOICE Festival has announced a return to live events, outside, masked and socially distanced in line with local and CDC guidelines, on May 13 and May 16, 2021. On Thursday, May 13 at 7 p.m., artist Lauren Jelencovich will present a 60-minute concert of opera classics, Broadway favorites and popular hits.

BWW Review: John Bucchino's GRATEFUL 20TH ANNIVERSARY VIRTUAL CONCERT


John Bucchino's break-out CD is being widely celebrated on the occasion of its 20th Anniversary and this online concert is a great way to enjoy the festivities.

Wake Up With BWW 1/19: Kelli O'Hara Sings From BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY and More!


Today's top stories: sneak peek at Adam Pascal's upcoming concert, a clip from Kelli O'Hara's concert with Seth Rudetsky, and more!

VIDEO: Watch Claybourne Elder, Capathia Jenkins & More on Jim Caruso's Pajama Cast Party- Watch Now!


Guests this week include: Jen Sánchez, Zak Resnick, Jonathan Brooke, Andrew Coutermarsh and Georgia Stitt.

BWW Previews: Broadway, Opera, Contemporary Folk Music All Represented On January 18th PAJAMA CAST PARTY


As the online version of Cast Party continues into the year, Mr. Caruso's net casts wide in a successful effort to stay inclusive with a true blue variety show.

GRATEFUL, THE SONGS OF JOHN BUCCHINO 20TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT to Have Encore Performance Featuring Leslie Odom Jr., Stephen Schwartz, and More


An encore presentation of Grateful, The Songs of John Bucchino 20th Anniversary Concert has been announced. Performances will run January 15-31.

Leslie Odom Jr., Stephen Schwartz & More Join GRATEFUL, THE SONGS OF JOHN BUCCHINO 20TH ANNIVERSARY VIRTUAL CONCERT


To celebrate, on Tuesday, Dec. 15th at 8 pm EST, 'Grateful, The Songs of John Bucchino 20th Anniversary Virtual Concert' will premiere, featuring 10 songs from the album, plus 5 other songs of John's. Some of the original singers will be reprising their songs, and others will be sung by some old and new friends, all accompanied by John.

BWW Interview: John Bucchino of GRATEFUL 20TH ANNIVERSARY VIRTUAL CONCERT


Twenty years later the songs of John Bucchino are still in demand. On December 15th fans all over the world will get to see why.

Savannah VOICE Festival Announces Schedule of Holiday Performances


Savannah VOICE Festival has announced a schedule of special holiday performances throughout December. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, donors and partners, the VOICExperience Foundation and Savannah VOICE Festival produced their first ever online Festival in August and continued the music this fall with “An All Hallow’s Night of Streams.”

The Beechman Hosts ANYTHING YOU CAN DO, A New Works Concert For Leading Ladies


All over America in 2018 women's voices are finally being heard en masse; in the mainstream media, the internet, on TV, movies and in politics. Musical theater, however? Not so much. Join us as we celebrate women's voices and the stories they tell at our brand-new female-forward new-works concert Anything You Can Do (A Night Of Something Better)!

The Beechman Hosts ANYTHING YOU CAN DO, A New Works Concert For Leading Ladies


All over America in 2018 women's voices are finally being heard en masse; in the mainstream media, the internet, on TV, movies and in politics. Musical theater, however? Not so much. Join us as we celebrate women's voices and the stories they tell at our brand-new female-forward new-works concert Anything You Can Do (A Night Of Something Better)!

American Symphony Orchestra Opens 2016-2017 Season With Troubled Days of Peace


The American Symphony Orchestra, conducted by music director Leon Botstein, will open its 55th season at Carnegie Hall on Wednesday, October 19, 2016.  The four-concert Vanguard series begins with a program titled Troubled Days of Peacein which Botstein will lead the Orchestra and the Bard Festival Chorale in concert versions of two one-act operas that examine the turbulent period between the First and Second World Wars: Ernst Krenek's Der Diktator ('The Dictator') and Richard Strauss' Friedenstag ('Days of Peace').

Center for Contemporary Opera Announces Fall 2016 Season


The Center for Contemporary Opera has announced its season of five operas, including two world premieres and three U.S. premieres, to take place this fall throughout New York City and Brooklyn.  

Cinnabar Theater Ends Season with Verdi's FALSTAFF, Opening Tonight


Next month, Cinnabar Theater's scintillating season ends on a high note with Falstaff. Performed entirely in English, this irreverent opera combines Verdi's glorious score with Shakespeare's uproarious rogue. Falstaff opens tonight, June 12 and runs through Sunday, June 28.

Cinnabar Theater to End Season with Verdi's FALSTAFF This June


Next month, Cinnabar Theater's scintillating season ends on a high note with Falstaff. Performed entirely in English, this irreverent opera combines Verdi's glorious score with Shakespeare's uproarious rogue. Falstaff opens Friday, June 12 and runs through Sunday, June 28.

Center for Contemporary Opera to Present 3 New Opera's 'In Progress' July 20-27


The Center for Contemporary Opera (CCO), founded in 1982 and recognized as a leading proponent of new opera, will present the World Premiere of 'Oration' by Danish composer Ms. Line Tjórnhój, and three operas-in-progress at its July 20-27 season at NYC's Cell Theater, 338 West 23rd Street. Conductor/Music Director of CCO is Sara Jobin.

BWW Reviews: SF Opera's SECRET GARDEN Could Use Some More Work


San Francisco Opera's new commission, a modern opera take on the classic children's story, "The Secret Garden," has trouble fully blooming. Littered with beautiful lilies and roses of moments, the opera waits until its second act to really let its music breathe.

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