Jacob Joyce will conduct a special concert spotlighting members of the Syracuse Orchestra on January 31 and February 1, 2025. This performance is part of the selection process for the orchestra’s next music director, a position for which Joyce is one of six finalists. Each finalist will conduct a concert and participate in community events, with the final decision announced at the end of the 2025-26 season.
Joyce’s passion for orchestral music began at a young age. He recalls being captivated by Johannes Brahms‘s Second Symphony when he was about eight years old. “I remember being fully enamored. I really fell in love with the sound,” he shared from Washington, D.C., where he is currently engaged with the National Symphony.
His educational journey in music is impressive. After studying violin for several years, Joyce majored in violin performance and economics at Yale College. He later earned a master’s degree in the same field at Yale, but his interest shifted towards conducting. Under the guidance of Hugh Wolff at the New England Conservatory, he developed his conducting skills. Joyce further refined his abilities at prestigious programs like the Tanglewood Music Center and the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen, where he received the Robert Spano Conducting Prize.
Currently serving as associate conductor for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and music director of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, Joyce is also a sought-after guest conductor, having led performances with major orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra. He is particularly known for promoting new music and engaging first-time audiences with orchestral performances.
Joyce emphasizes the importance of mentoring young musicians. He stated, “I value my role as a mentor who can cultivate a love of classical music in the young musicians.” His commitment to fostering appreciation for classical music is evident in his community initiatives. In Pittsburgh, he hosts a series called Saturday Sessions, where he introduces newcomers to orchestral music by providing context and insights about the pieces being performed.
The upcoming concert in Syracuse promises an engaging experience. Joyce expressed enthusiasm for the program, which he hopes will mirror the interactive nature of his Saturday Sessions. The concert will showcase a blend of Baroque music and contemporary pieces, featuring soloists from the Syracuse Orchestra.
The performance opens with Archangelo Corelli’s Concerto Grosso in D major, one of twelve concerti from the late 1600s. Following this, the audience will enjoy Alfred Schnittke’s playful “Moz-Art à la Haydn,” which creatively incorporates themes from both Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Joseph Haydn. The program will also include Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, showcasing a rich texture of nine solo strings accompanied by continuo. To conclude, Joyce will lead the orchestra in Igor Stravinsky’s Concerto in E-flat, known as “Dumbarton Oaks,” which draws inspiration from Bach’s works.
“My philosophy of performing is to foster a sense of welcome and curiosity and to provide a pleasant intellectual experience,” Joyce noted. He aims to create an atmosphere where audiences can fully appreciate the music.
Outside of his musical commitments, Joyce values time spent with family and friends, acknowledging that while music is a major focus of his life, he also enjoys running with his miniature Australian shepherd, Wally. A coffee enthusiast, he begins each day with freshly brewed coffee.
Following the Casual concert, Joyce will return to Central New York on March 7, 2025, to conduct a Masterworks series concert featuring the music of Mozart.
SHOW DETAILS
What: Casual, “The Orchestra Spotlight”
Where: St. Paul’s Syracuse, 220 E. Fayette St.
When: January 31 at 19:00 and February 1 at 15:00
Run Time: 75 minutes, no intermission
Tickets: $50 prime seating; $40 section B; senior citizens discounted. Students with I.D. $5; kids under 18 free
Purchase: 315-299-5598 or syracuseorchestra.org
Parking: Free on street.
