Joy Guidry

Radical self-love, compassion, laughter, and the drive to amplify Black artmakers and noisemakers comprise the core of bassoonist and composer Joy Guidry’s work. Their performances have been hailed by The San Diego Tribune as “lyrical and haunting…hair-raising and unsettling.” A versatile improviser and a composer of experimental, daring new works that embody a deep love of storytelling, Joy’s own music channels their inner child, in honor of their ancestors and predecessors. In every aspect of their practice, Joy seeks to support, hire, and promote Black artists.

Joy holds a bachelor’s degree in Bassoon Performance from the Peabody Conservatory and a Graduate Performance Diploma from the Mannes School of Music. They have performed with the Dance Centre Kenya Ballet Orchestra, International Contemporary Ensemble, Alarm Will Sound, and have been a featured soloist in Yvette Jackson’s opera Fear is their Alibi, which premiered at the 2021 PROTOTYPE festival. Joy has played in many festivals, including the La Biennale de Musica, Berlin Jazz Festival, Madrid Jazz Festival, London Jazz festival, Gaudeamus festival, and many more. Joy has been commissioned by The National Sawdust, Long Beach Opera, JACK Quartet, and the I&I Foundation have commissioned them. In addition, Joy Guidry is the winner of the 2021 Berlin Prize for Young Artists.