Molly Joyce, toy organ & vocals
Composer/performer, Molly Joyce takes to the late night stage for a set of musical works for voice, vintage toy organ, and electronics. Joyce aims to engage and challenge her impaired left hand physically and artistically in an act of “breaking and entering” the human body to a realm beyond ability.
Molly Joyce | Going beyond ability | 2017
Meet the Composer
Composer and performer Molly Joyce’s music has been described as one of “serene power” (New York Times), written to “superb effect” (The Wire), and “impassioned” (The Washington Post). Her works have been commissioned and performed by ensembles including the New World, New York Youth, Pittsburgh, and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestras, and the New Juilliard, Decoda, and Contemporaneous ensembles. Additionally, her work has been presented at TEDxMidAtlantic, Bang on a Can Marathon, Classical:NEXT, VisionIntoArt’s FERUS Festival, and featured in outlets such asPitchfork, WNYC’s New Sounds, Q2 Music, I Care If You Listen, andThe Log Journal.
Her work is primarily concerned with disability as a creative source. She has an impaired left hand due to a previous car accident, and the primary vehicle in her pursuit is her electric vintage toy organ, an instrument she bought on eBay which suits her body and allows her to engage with disability on a compositional and performative level. Related engagements include speaking/performing at TEDxMidAtlantic and National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, as well as publishing a personal essay for 21CM.