For this month’s careers in music, we focus on Joshua Goines a multi-talented musician (pianist/organist, singer, conductor and composer/arranger). His impressive set of skills have allowed Joshua to work in various different positions and be a musical director on various projects. Recent productions include: In the Heights, Hairspray, and Street Scene by Kurt Weill.
Joshua began his musical journey primarily as a singer but he very quickly developed other skills: “As my interest grew, I branched out into other areas of music and I only stuck with it if I felt I could spend the appropriate amount of time cultivating that area. At one point, I was simultaneously enrolled in piano, voice, & violin lessons.”
He conducted his first choir at the age of ten! “One summer I started a little choir at church that sang along to some arrangements of worship songs for kids. The CD had a split track so we used that for accompaniment while I had my mom write out the lyrics (her handwriting was far better than mine!) and we copied that for everyone. We only performed once, we sang two songs. All things considered, it went well.”
The music lessons came in handy too when he began accompanying other singers. “I started accompanying singers at church when I was around 12 or 13 years old. People would say, ‘I’d like to sing this whenever you have it learned, but no rush…’ and I’d typically have it learned within a week because I was so hungry to perform and grow in my skills.”
He realized quickly that being multi-passionate was to his advantage. “Once I got to high school, I saw the value of having many skills and I focused on conducting, piano, and voice.”
Joshua also began arranging music early. “One of my favorite songs from my tween years was the praise song, ‘Majesty’ by Jack Hayford. I would always hear it in my head as something far grander than the arrangement we had in the songbook. Without writing it out, I did my own piano arrangement. Originally, this was just for accompanying the congregation but later on I would embellish it more and use as a piano solo.”
Having worked with Joshua myself, it is always amazing to hear how he transforms simple melodies and makes them stand out. His skills have become much in demand. “It’s hard to say what my most recent arrangement has been because I tend to work on multiple projects at once. More than likely, it was something we used in church and that’s typically a chamber orchestra arrangement.”
Through the years Joshua has worked in many different areas of music including as a church organist, choir director and musical director fir various productions. So, what is the typical schedule? “Mostly, the schedule is the same for all because I’m just one person working many jobs (often simultaneously). At one of my busiest times I was attending classes in the morning, researching/practicing/doing score study in the afternoon and then prepping for rehearsal in the evening. Earlier this year I was music director for two musicals and an opera while still being organist/accompanist for one church and a contemporary music director/arranger for another church, all while preparing and coaching with two singers for their senior recitals and preparing to guest conduct a choir festival. Needless to say, the days were long and there were several styles of music happening every hour. Fortunately, I never brought the wrong score to rehearsal (and this was a legitimate concern I had while trying to juggle everything) and I only forgot my organ shoes once!”
Given the varied nature of his career thus far, it’s hard to point out only a few highlights but Joshua shares: “I’ve been blessed to have some amazing moments. One highlight was conducting John Rutter’s Magnificat with choir and orchestra at Shenandoah Valley Academy. Another was leading many of those high schoolers on a tour of Germany and Austria. There’s a certain rush that comes with having an original composition performed and thanks to the Andrews University Singers and Stephen Zork, that has been a dream I didn’t know I had come true! I always love the bonds that form when working on a musical theater piece and so far, there have been several. Still, any of my best moments can be found at church. Nothing beats having a freshly orchestrated piece backed with choir, praise band, and orchestra leading 1,800 congregants singing to the top of their lungs all in worship and praise to God. My roots are in the church so I’m always delighted to continue trying new things there.”
If there’s one area Joshua wishes he had more time for it would be song-writing. “Even though I compose a little, I don’t think of myself as a great composer. I wish I had more time to focus on composing and honing in those skills.”
He has many dreams for the future a few of which shares with us. “I’d love to form my own professional choir. I’d love to premiere new choral works as well as conduct some of the classic symphonic choral works. Nothing specific because the sky is the limit!”
Are there any specific artists that he would like to work with? “I love to collaborate! Whether professional or amateur, I enjoy making music with anyone who wants to make music together. There are so many great artists that it would be difficult to choose. However, there is one person whose voice and artistry captured my attention from a young age and I would be ecstatic if I ever got to work with Audra McDonald on a project as her music director and conductor!”
Bonus Questions
- As a choir director you have worked with a variety of different voices. What vocal habit do you see consistently that you wish singers would work on more?
- I say this to singers and I target myself with these goals as well. Singing with ease, intentionality, meaning. There are lots of technical issues we each have, but if we focus on those three areas I believe the passion that we feel as performers will be best conveyed to our audience without feeding our bad habits.
- Do you have any advice you can offer participants in shows etc, that would help them be better prepared?
- Confidence is the key! We’ve all been on the other side of the audition table and we know what it takes to put yourself out there. Embrace confidence as part of your personality and allow that to always lead you.
- Can you offer us a few things accompanists and directors wish participants knew?
- I can’t speak for everyone else, but this comes directly from me: Learn the music as it is written and count! So many times, I work with people who have listened to cast recordings or other artists perform a song and instead of learning it themselves, they try to emulate what they hear. The problem with that is that you aren’t allowing yourself to be an artist and make your own decisions. The best performance comes when you are true to yourself and your voice. Also, once you break down a score to the bare bones and know it as the composer meant, then you can really internalize it and make it your own.
Joshua currently serves as the organist in the First Presbyterian Church of South Bend and the Music Director at Pioneer Memorial Church.
Interested in becoming a Music Director? Degrees to consider:
BS Performance, BA Music, BA Conducting and BFA Musical Theatre
Follow Josh through his social media accounts:
