Photograph by Marcos Covos
About
I am a classically trained cellist, singer-songwriter/composer, and music educator. YouTube, Instagram, and Spotify are the three main platforms that I use to share my work and I do so by creating music videos and the occasional music tutorial.
My parents gave me a cello when I was 5 years old and I immediately began studying with my grandmother (an Eastman graduate). When I was about 10, I started learning how to use recording software and soon became obsessed with writing and capturing music. At age sixteen, I left home to continue my classical studies with Professor Jeffrey Lastrapes at Texas Tech University and graduated summa cum laude 4 years later. During my college years, I earned a seat with the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, won Texas Tech’s Presser Award, taught at the local schools, and kept writing/recording songs in my spare time.
Post-college, I began building my social media presence, which in turn, has built my cello studio, connected me to other musicians, and given me the artistic freedom to create whatever content I desire. My music is now distributed by the Italian label, Halidon Music; I have incredible sponsors; and my cello studio consists of hard-working, dedicated students from around the world.
“Much like fellow digital stars 2Cellos, Piano Guys, Kevin Olusola of Pentatonix, and That Viola Kid, Joy is evolving our idea of classical music.” – The Daily Dot
Over the past four years, I have mostly created tutorials and covers, but am now transitioning into sharing primarily classical, original, and collaborative works. My songs and compositions are wholesome and hopefully thought-provoking. The inspiration ranges, but I am mostly interested in topics of religion, philosophy, psychology, and social commentary. I tend to blend classical, jazz, and folk elements.
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