"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without."
Confucius
Elaine Joe is a pianist, accompanist, composer, teacher, blogger and podcast host.
As a musician, she has performed as a soloist, as a duo and in bands over the span of her career. As an accompanist, she plays piano for four choirs ranging from the Highs and
Lows in the mental health community, to the Ukrainian Barvinok Choir.
Her experience over an eclectic range of styles, from Folk, World,
Classical, Broadway, Jazz to Popular tunes equips her to play and teach a diverse repertoire.
As a composer, she's written music for the independent film, "Getting
Ahead" and the theme song for the "Art Heals Podcast. She enjoys
writing piano ballads to reflect her life's journey.
As a light accordion player she became enamoured with the tango while playing with the Vancouver Squeezebox Circle. As a result, she wrote a tango piece for piano that she hopes to record and publish soon. Recently, she began composing songs on the accordion and is curious as to where that will lead her.
As a teacher, Elaine uses fun, alternative methods to get you through your blocks in a kind and compassionate manner. She says, “I play at being: Curious, inquisitive, fun and imaginative in a relaxed and enthusiastic manner. "
When performing solo, she likes to play music to transmit the composer’s brilliance of the piece, then use her interpretation of it to evoke a sense of feeling in her listeners. Be it joy, angst, love, nostalgia or playfulness, she wants you to feel something.
Over the years, she’s played keyboard with the “10th Ave
Trio”, organ and accordion with the funk band, “Lovedrunk” and
improvisational accordion with the Spanish group “Sureando”.
Last summer, she began working with talented violist, Thomas Beckman,
collaborating on movie sound tracks to create recordings for this
Spring. Recently, she teamed together with violinist, Jessie Tseng, to
perform Russian gypsy tunes for a breast cancer fundraiser.
In her
quiet time she journals, philosophizes about life, blogs about leading a
passionate and creative life, writes poetry and practices Qi Gong .