Joy McIntyre, Retired Opera Singer, Teacher, and Suncoast Arts Volunteer, Joins the Club

Robyn Bell: A remarkable thing about us musicians and artists is that though we may retire, we really never quit doing what we do. And today's podcast guest is living, breathing, proof of that. Joy McIntyre was a leading soprano with major opera houses in Europe for two decades or longer before returning to the states where she taught at a couple of different universities, including my alma mater, Boston University, and uh, served as the chair of the voice department there. Since retiring to the Suncoast, Joy has continued to fulfill her musical mission by serving the Artist Series Concerts. She's the past president of the Sarasota Institute of Lifetime Learning, The Vice President of the Sarasota Music Archive and the past president of the Sarasota Concert Association. My goodness, we have a lot to talk about. Joy McIntyre, Welcome to the club.

Joy McIntyre: Oh, thank you. Glad to be here. 

Robyn Bell: You are the gift that keeps on giving . 

Joy McIntyre: I hope that's true. I'm now 84. I wanna keep going. 

Robyn Bell: Wow. I had no idea. So the first question I ask all of my guests is, do you remember when. And how the singing slash music bug bit you?

Joy McIntyre: Sure. I was a little kid and I was always in choirs and ensembles and my voice. tended to sort of stand out. And so the, leaders, the conductors, the teachers would pull me out and say, Wouldn't you like to sing a little solo? And then they'd give me a little solo. I, I used to say it's because I was too tall for the chorus line. So it started pretty early, maybe about five years old. 

Robyn Bell: And you went through elementary, middle school or maybe junior high school? High school. Always in the choir program at were you like at a public school or private school? 

Joy McIntyre: Public school. Always in the choir programs. Somewhere better than others, of course. Mm-hmm. . Mm-hmm. . And when I. Was in my sophomore year that was in St. Louis at Southwest High School. They held auditions for the senior operetta and the director of the choir, Ms. Meyer was her name. That was, what, 60 plus years ago.

Robyn Bell: Wow. 

Joy McIntyre: She asked me to audition, which I did, and at the same time, my father was offered another job in Washington DC and announced that we were moving. 

Robyn Bell: Oh. 

Joy McIntyre: So I had to go tell Ms. Meyer brokenhearted as I was, that it couldn't be, I didn't know whether I'd been selected, you know, I was only a sophomore. that it couldn't be in the senior operetta. And she said, Oh no, I can't do it without you. You have to stay. So my mother cut a deal with me, bless her heart. 

Robyn Bell: Really? 

Joy McIntyre: She said If the house sells before the operetta, We will move into a rooming house and I will stay behind so you can finish the operetta and then we'll go to Washington and join your father. And the house sold right away. So poor mother had to live with me in one room. 

Robyn Bell: What a sacrifice though. That's amazing. 

Joy McIntyre: Amazing. It is amazing. That was sort of My first serious stage role. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. And you then had to leave to go to Washington DC you transferred high schools, right? Did you fit right in with the next high school and the choir program and.

Joy McIntyre: Yes and no. They made me the assistant conductor and I conducted a girl's chorus as well, and we won competitions, but there weren't a lot of solo activities. I was a soloist in the church choir, though, of course. Church choir. Yes. And always , the Minister of Music said, Just don't tell him how old you are, so yeah. And then I went off to college. 

Robyn Bell: Well, tell us about that. So you're a senior in high school, you're looking for places to further your education. You knew immediately you were gonna be a, a professional singer when you grew up. 

Joy McIntyre: That that's what I wanted. Okay. I mean, that seemed to be the thing. I, I did most successfully. I didn't, I didn't know I had any other options. Later on, I found out, oh, I could have done this or that, but no. So a friend of mine was going to Oberlin and I thought, Oh, okay, I'll apply there. And was the only school I applied to. 

Robyn Bell: Oh my goodness. , 

Joy McIntyre: and fortunately they took me or I'd been out in the rain

Robyn Bell: And you got your undergraduate degree at Oberlin? 

Joy McIntyre: That's right. 

Robyn Bell: And it was in vocal performance, opera performance? 

Joy McIntyre: Well, yeah. It became vocal performance. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. 

Joy McIntyre: It started out music education. 

Robyn Bell: Sure. 

Joy McIntyre: And, I felt like that wasn't , that wasn't scratching the itch as it were. . 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. 

Joy McIntyre: And so I changed a vocal performance and fortunately, Oberlin that year, Started a program and they sent their entire junior class conservatory junior class to Salzburg, Austria, to the Mozarteum to study for a whole year. I think they were short of dormitories on campus . So 

Robyn Bell: good solution. 

Joy McIntyre: They shipped us off to Austria and. When the bus drove into Saltsburg at nine o'clock at night, and the magnificent fortress on the hill was lit up, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. 

Joy McIntyre: I felt like I was home. The whole time I was there, I felt like I was home. 

Robyn Bell: And you had to come back to the States? 

Joy McIntyre: I did. 

Robyn Bell: And then you, you graduated Oberlin. 

Joy McIntyre: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: What happens next for you? 

Joy McIntyre: I went to graduate school, New England Conservatory. 

Robyn Bell: Another great school. 

Joy McIntyre: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: So conservatory train through and through. 

Joy McIntyre: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: And then at some point in time you hopped back over to Europe?

Joy McIntyre: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: And you stay there quite a while? 

Joy McIntyre: Well, again, I lucked out. New England Conservatory offered a scholarship to A singer, a student who was likely to have a career was sort of the mm-hmm. , the loose parameter for that scholarship. Mm-hmm. And I received that scholarship. I was very, very grateful. It was called the Emma Aim Scholarship, and it paid for a year in Europe, and here's what it paid. Imagine the monthly stipend was $125. 

Robyn Bell: Wow. To, to live in Europe, $125 a month. 

Joy McIntyre: Right. 

Robyn Bell: And it covered everything you needed. 

Joy McIntyre: No, it didn't. . We're talking uh, 1963. Okay. So, of course things were a little cheaper, but it didn't , it paid for everything except housing. So rather than live in a tent. My voice teacher knew somebody in, in Munich and I was able to live as a sort of a, a housekeeper and cook. Getting secretary for this person. And so I did that for a year, but I got a job right away except it didn't start till the following year. So that, that bridge year was really kind of interesting. But, you know, I had to make due with very little money, but I was, I was in paradise. What did I care? 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. What about your parents? And they send you off to Europe. They're okay with this or? 

Joy McIntyre: I'm absolutely amazed now. I'm an only child. I knew plenty of students from Oberlin whose parents wouldn't even let them go to the junior year abroad. Mm. But my parents didn't blink an eye. They were grateful. Oh good. 

Robyn Bell: Get outta here. 

Joy McIntyre: Be alright. No, I mean they, they were always very supportive. 

Robyn Bell: Now, in college, I'm sure you had to learn cuz all vocal majors do all the different languages, but immersing yourself in Germany like that, was that just head on? Here's how we speak German. 

Joy McIntyre: Well, Oberlin required that we study at least one semester of German before leaving for Austria. And because I was at that time in dual majors with music, education and performance I couldn't do it during the regular school year, so I did it during summer school. So I, I went to night school, I worked in the summer too in Washington. But I went to night school at American University and got a little bit of a grounding, but you. You acquire it fast, particularly as a singer, you acquire it fast. 

Robyn Bell: Now, there's really no way in a, you know, a 40, 45 minute podcast that we can cover your entire performing career. But talk to us about those 20 years in Europe and sort of the. Snapshot of everything you got to do and perform and who you sang for conductors and sort of this, cuz really, it needs to be out there audible for people to hear this . 

Joy McIntyre: Well, just the highlights then. Okay. 

Robyn Bell: The highlights like my hair just highlighted. 

Joy McIntyre: Yeah. Right. Uh. It was a dream come true. I was really living my dream and I loved it. I started out in small theater and I started out singing mezzo dramatic mezzo roles but. The contracts are really kind of unforgiving back in those days. My future mother-in-law, was also engaged at the same theater, and her contract just said singer. It didn't even say female singer, which most of the contracts did Z it in. Okay. You know, with a female ending. Now it just said, Singer . So she could have been required to sing tenor if they wanted it. You know, kind of, kind of unforgiving. But I started out dramatic mezzo Soprano, and then I moved to Damond, which is up in North Fine Vest Island, the Westfalia area of Germany. And then gradually began to switch to Soprano, and then the rest of it was as dramatic soprano. 

Robyn Bell: And you have some, some of the major roles that we would all know the names of operas in these, these characters, right? 

Joy McIntyre: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: Give us some of these that we would recognize.

Joy McIntyre: Well my first soprano role entirely was Fidelio, and I did sing that for a number of years 

Robyn Bell: as a trumpet player. I know that one cuz I had to learn the offstage trumpet calls .

Joy McIntyre: Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: You know, in college, Yes. 

Joy McIntyre: , I always think about Fidelio, I think of the, the opening to the aria up, up Shia Vo and the opening is with the horns and they have to hit high E and it doesn't always go well

Robyn Bell: Those poor horn players. 

Joy McIntyre: Yeah, right. But you know, you're in a good place when the horn player hits the E. 

Robyn Bell: Yes. Yep.

Joy McIntyre: Yeah. So yeah, so Fidelio was a start. And then I gradually sang a lot of Wagner and Strauss and other. Roles that I call interesting, like Costel Nka in Ya, Nofa by . And so roles that just were interesting and offbeat. VO sec money, that sort of thing. 

Robyn Bell: Well, at some point in time you say, Okay, it's time to leave Germany. Maybe leave this performing career. And as you told me before we recorded here, you had your first 20 years of performing, and then your next 20 years was focused more on. Educating and academia. 

Joy McIntyre: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: So tell us about this transition from Germany back to the States and how then you got into the whole academia and where that led your career. 

Joy McIntyre: Can I tell you a funny story before we go?

Robyn Bell: Nothing would make me happier. Yes. 

Joy McIntyre: Yeah. I was hired to sing in Munich to replace bi Nielsen in Deha, which is a big opera by Re, Richard Straus. And It's sort of, you jump in, it's called e springing. And in German you just jump in and you don't have much of an idea about the the measles send where you're supposed to go. And sometimes the assistant director will just say, Come in over there. Don't, don't hit anybody, and leave over there. So 

Robyn Bell: there's not real specific blocking, 

Joy McIntyre: right? Like a blocking, Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Not when you come in hours before the curtain goes, huh? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So and my. partner was Dietrich Fischer Deco. He was playing my husband and I was dfa about in, and that was all very interesting. I believe after the first act intermission somebody scurried across the stage and there were a number of people around him, and he came up to me and, and he said, Joy, I really enjoyed your performance. And he grabs my hand and kisses it, and it was a Leonard Bernstein. 

Robyn Bell: Oh, wow. 

Joy McIntyre: And then when the performance was over. And this was me wondering how in the world I could possibly fill bigger Nielsen's shoes. When it was over, they brought a very old man on stage. He was in his high eighties, I think. And he was the son of r Richard Straus. Wow. And I was introduced to him and I, I won't tell you what he said, but it was very nice . So those, those are sort of the high. 

Robyn Bell: You'll have to tell me later. 

Joy McIntyre: Yeah. I'll tell you later. . 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. Fascinating stuff. I mean, to perform and then here comes Lenny Bernstein telling you he really enjoys like, what? What are you doing here? 

Joy McIntyre: Oh my god. Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: Oh wow. How cool. 

Joy McIntyre: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: So you wrap that up, you move him back over here. You say, I'm gonna, give all the knowledge I have in my head, all these little people on, 

Joy McIntyre: Gotta share it. I'm gonna share it. This is so exciting, Later when I was teaching at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, that's for high school kids.

Robyn Bell: Mm-hmm. .

Joy McIntyre: And I love that gig. And that went on for years. And I always said, it's like mining for gold when you're working with, teenagers, People that are looking to find their way, discover their voice or their instrument or whether they want music as a profession. Mining for gold. Yeah. Nothing makes me happi. So yeah, that was a good choice. So I was five years in Utah, in northern Utah. And then moved to Boston, which as a friend of mine who's a famous conductor said is the city that is the most like Europe. Is Boston. 

Robyn Bell: Really? Not New York. Boston. 

Joy McIntyre: No. Boston. It has some of that old world charm to.

Robyn Bell: Yep. So, and so what, tell us what all, what was your role there at Boston University? How, how long were you there? Like 15 years. 

Joy McIntyre: 15 years? 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. Okay. And what all did you get to do while you were there?

Joy McIntyre: Well, you know, you teach anything related to singing and that is French and, and German and Italian diction for singers. So those three, and I did teach at least one year. I remember teaching vocal pedagogy, things like that. And then they, later on they made me head of the department. And I also sang performances there. Interesting. A lot. . Richard Caly, who was a famous tenor metropolitan opera and all that jazz. He had the studio next to mine and we did a couple of performances together. We did the second act of Fidelio and we did the first act of DeVol. And then after I had retired from Boston University they asked me to come back and sing the Medium and. That was very interesting. That was sort of full circle experience because 40 years to the day I had sung the medium at the New England Conservatory. as a student. Wow. And only a few steps away, the, the Boston University at that time owned something called the Huntington Theater, which was just a few steps away from the New England Conservatory. 

Robyn Bell: Wow. 

Joy McIntyre: So I found it was a really full circle experience, and then I sailed off into retirement . Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: I was gonna ask, you talk about being a professional performer in Europe at big, opera houses with big orchestras and famous conductors. But what is the difference, would you say, between then, performing and an academic setting? Was there a difference in maybe stress or pressure you put on yourself? Or did you always approach it the same? 

Joy McIntyre: Well, I think you always approach it the same. But there is of course, a difference because you are aging, you know?

Robyn Bell: Okay. Yeah. It's like an athlete. 

Joy McIntyre: Yes. It's like an athlete. Mm-hmm. For me at, at my age back then to still sing Fidelio or to sing Sig Glenda. In concert. It wasn't the Brunhilda I. I had been, or Brunhilda, I never actually sung Si Linda on stage. But they asked me to do this concert performance with Richard Costly. So I had to learn. Si Linda . But you know, still at my age I'd retired from professional singing more or less. You know, when I first started teaching in America, I would still go over and do gigs in Europe, but mm-hmm. , but by then not so much. So yeah, I think you have to work harder to get your body. To perform at that high level, cuz you know the keys never change. They're still 

Robyn Bell: That's right. They won't dumb it down for you, if you will. 

Joy McIntyre: Yeah. They won't transference it. You've gotta sing it 

Robyn Bell: and you have sort of that added time constraint of the teaching and the prep and the grading and the. The administrative stuff. So that's the next 20 years. Five at Utah and 15 at Boston University. So 20 performing. 20 teaching. 

Joy McIntyre: Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: And you say, Okay, I'm, I'm done. And what brings you to the beautiful Suncoast here at Sarasota, Florida? 

Joy McIntyre: Well, my parents had a place down here. Okay. Although they had both passed. By the time I retired and a colleague of mine at Boston University wanted to retire and he was from Kansas City and he kept saying, I, You need to go to Kansas City. Didn't you grow up there? I said, Yay, . Little bit . No, no. I wanna go to Sarasota. Well, why you wanna go to Sarasota? I said, Because I know that city and I know that they have a very active live. Arts scene and there are ways to volunteer in Sarasota, and I wanna be busy. I'm 

Robyn Bell: good for you. 

Joy McIntyre: You know, 

Robyn Bell: you're not hanging this up to sit around, watch Netflix marathons all day.

Joy McIntyre: Nope, nope. Can't do that. Cpan all day. Oh, how exciting. 

Robyn Bell: A little better than the weather channel. only a little, 

Joy McIntyre: Right. I'd rather volunteer. So I knew that was possible. 

Robyn Bell: And, and you knew this town and you knew it had all the arts because of your parents having a home here. 

Joy McIntyre: Yes. That's right. 

Robyn Bell: Would you come. See them here in Sarasota?

Joy McIntyre: Oh yeah. I did visit here. Yeah. Yeah. And my, my father used to take me to SILL to the Sarasota Institute of Lifetime Learning. Yeah. To those lectures. He was just, really fond of those and went as often as he could. And if I was in town he would take me to a lecture and he said, You know, you could do something like this. Oh. So no, no, dad, I'm a musician. I can't do that. . 

Robyn Bell: So when you say, Kim, I'm moving to Sarasota because you, you, I'm gonna tell you a little secret. Because you have another connection here to the State College of Florida that you may not know, but one of our, previous college presidents, Dr. Sarah Pappas, lives in the same building as you on Casey Key. 

Joy McIntyre: Right. 

Robyn Bell: Is that the only place you've move? When you came here you said, I'm moving there? 

Joy McIntyre: No, I lived in my father's house.

Robyn Bell: Okay. I see. 

Joy McIntyre: And then I built a house in, Palmer Ranch. Yes. And lived there for about 12 years. And then I decided it's time, You know, I don't have any close relatives and. I need to get some place where I can have help if I need it. 

Robyn Bell: Sure. Yeah. Well, it's a beautiful place to live. Yes. I, I must say I, Yes. If you wanna invite me over anytime, I'm free. Casey Key is just right. Gorgeous. So you moved down here, you're in your dad's house and you just dive. Head in into the volunteering with these arts organizations. So you start making phone calls. Did you already know someone down here ? 

Joy McIntyre: Well, so I tell you a story again.

Robyn Bell: Okay. 

Joy McIntyre: I was sitting in Boston trying to drum the medium back into my head after 40 years, , and the telephone rang and it was a lady. Whose name was Lee Doherty Ross. 

Robyn Bell: Oh yes. Lee Daugherty Ross. 

Joy McIntyre: And I guess I'd heard about Lee Daugherty Ross, but I didn't know her. And she , she said you know, two people have have told me about you and I want you to come to Sarasota when, when your next in Sarasota, I want you to sing on my series And she had a special thing back then, maybe for a year or two, where she would have before as a kind of an overture to a serious. classical music presentation, she would have something that she called an appetizer. And I remember telling her on the phone, I'm a little heavy for an appetizer. might ruin the ruin the entree but 

Robyn Bell: and of course you're talking about the Artist Series Concert that she's she founded. 

Joy McIntyre: That's right. Artist Series Concerts. Yep. And bless her heart. Well, I. At that time, I was traveling around doing my one woman Shakespeare show. So I took out some of my Shakespeare songs and sang a few as a prelude to one of the concerts that she was presenting, and that began a lifelong friendship. That woman is a force of nature, 

Robyn Bell: let me tell you. She is amazing. 

Joy McIntyre: She is.

Robyn Bell: She's ama. When I see an email from her or a Facebook post, I just shake my head and I think I am so grateful that that woman is in my life. She's amazing. 

Joy McIntyre: Everybody is, I, I call her the hub of Sarasota Arts. 

Robyn Bell: Yes, I would agree with that.

Joy McIntyre: Yeah. 

Robyn Bell: I think we've just found her new nickname. . . So you first, so all this first started with her and the in the Artist Series Concerts. 

Joy McIntyre: Right. 

Robyn Bell: And so where did it move next?

Joy McIntyre: Well, I didn't immediately start working for the Artist Series. Instead I started working for Sill First.

Robyn Bell: Okay.

Joy McIntyre: I had a friend who was on the SILL board and she recommended me, and so, 

Robyn Bell: And that's the Sarasota Institute for Lifetime Learning. 

Joy McIntyre: Right. 

Robyn Bell: And Joe Holt he has been the Musical Monday person and was kind enough last. February, I think, I was one of their speakers on the musical Monday thing, so.

Joy McIntyre: Oh, neat. Yes. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. A lot of, lot of fun, 

Joy McIntyre: right? 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. And then at the time, I didn't realize you had been so heavily involved in that, 

Joy McIntyre: right? Well, yeah, And because I, you know, I lived in Europe for a long time. I was also very interested in global issues. And people didn't realize this back then. SILL also had one day a week. Humanities. Tuesdays was humanities, Mondays was music, Tuesdays was humanities, and global issues were the other days of the week. They don't do arts and humanities anymore. It's either music and then four days a week global issues. But because I lived in Europe, I'm very interested in, news and developments worldwide. And so I just stayed with them and enjoyed working for them and was president for one term 

Robyn Bell: and that was all volunteer. When you say work, 

Joy McIntyre: it's all volunteer. Oh yeah. Oh, absolutely. 

Robyn Bell: Nobody wrote you a paycheck for these things. 

Joy McIntyre: You never get a cent. No , no

Robyn Bell: good for you. Really. It's remarkable. Okay, so now the next organization I know you with would be the Sarasota Concert Association. 

Joy McIntyre: Right. 

Robyn Bell: I do have an interview scheduled with Linda Moxley not. January. 

Joy McIntyre: Okay. 

Robyn Bell: But we've never really talked much on my podcast about the Sarasota Concert Association. Oh, this is the first time. So tell me all about it and what your role in it was.

Joy McIntyre: Oh, I love it. I'm passionate about the Sarasota Concert Association. They were founded in 1938. The first concert happened in 39. And back then there was as a subsidiary of Columbia Artists, there was something called community concerts and. Columbia Artists is the management in New York City. Their goal was to have a Carnegie Hall in every town. And so they would send artists, and I knew people in Europe who had had traveled through America on trains performing in small towns. Peoria Salina , omaha as a part of Columbia Artists Community concerts. So, A group of nice ladies, I'm sure they were lovely. Who were part of the Women's Club of Sarasota. Got together with the community concerts and started the, It wasn't Sarasota Concert Association was the name that it evolved to. It was first called Community Concert Course. And the first year they did three concerts and then gradually evolved to five. But of course that there was a hiatus during the war, and then they roared back. And so they, with the help of Columbia artists, they were bringing first ranked musicians to Sarasota. And you have to think there was no Sarasota Opera at that time. If Sarasota Orchestra came into being around 19 50 

Robyn Bell: 50. Yeah.

Joy McIntyre: Yeah. So 

Robyn Bell: This was the only show in town really. 

Joy McIntyre: It was,

Robyn Bell: yeah. 

Joy McIntyre: It was for a while. This certainly was in the vanguard and, 

Robyn Bell: and it was organization that sponsored musical groups to come through and perform for the community. 

Joy McIntyre: That's right. 

Robyn Bell: That's the basis of it. 

Joy McIntyre: That's right. 

Robyn Bell: And I think about as someone that, you know, trumpet player and trained in the band world, I, I think about John Philip Sousa and how he would get on a train with his band and stop town to town. To town, 

Joy McIntyre: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: That would've been something they would've brought here. 

Joy McIntyre: Absolutely. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. Now he died in 32, so a little before that, but it was that concept. 

Joy McIntyre: Yes. You could think back in those times. I mean, radio existed, but, and certainly the NBC orchestra with uh, Toscanini and all of that. Probably existed. I don't know the dates on that exactly, but there wasn't as much inundation with music and arts, so this was really a revelation for people outside of the major urban centers. 

Robyn Bell: And if you didn't have your own orchestra, this was the way to get a cultural experience as they would come. 

Joy McIntyre: Right. 

Robyn Bell: Instead of you go to them as a house band, as I would say, they would come to you right in this organiz. Back then and still today supports that financially. 

Joy McIntyre: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: And through marketing and that sort of thing. And they bring, I mean the Chicago Symphony, there's a Ukrainian orchestra coming in. 

Joy McIntyre: There's Ukrainian orchestra. Yes. We are having the Chicago Symphony for the second time. We regularly have the Cleveland Orchestra. The Royal Phil Harmonic, and so we have a balance of orchestras, major orchestras with small ensembles and solo, and it is that sort of business model that enables us to. Keep the books balanced 

Robyn Bell: cause it's much more expensive. I mean, just talking finances. Yeah. To bring a full symphony orchestra 

Joy McIntyre: Absolutely. 

Robyn Bell: Than a smaller chamber group. 

Joy McIntyre: Right? 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. Yeah. And they do perform at Van Wezel with the big orchestras. 

Joy McIntyre: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: But you also have some other performance venues?

Joy McIntyre: Yes. In recent years we've been using Riverview. Mm-hmm. and this coming season will be in the Opera House as well as Venice. 

Robyn Bell: Excellent. And, you were the president of that organization for eight years. And so what's your role with it now? 

Joy McIntyre: Well, in, those eight years and all of the 75 years before that there was no executive. So the board did, It's 

Robyn Bell: a working board. Yeah, 

Joy McIntyre: it was a working board. So you had to have somebody on the board who could do the marketing, who could do the finances and the various jobs that needed to be done. And then Quite recently then 2020, we decided to engage an executive director and we found this wonderful woman from the Baltimore Symphony. Linda Moxley. And so she's now our executive director. 

Robyn Bell: And how did you do that? Through the pandemic. That's amazing. 

Joy McIntyre: Well, , we did all the interviews byZoom we posted the position on the, on the usual sites, College, music, society, and whatnot.

Robyn Bell: Well, and similar, my pops orchestra, same. Never had an executive director working board, but coming out of the pandemic that we have now, an executive director. So yes. Follow those two arts organizations. Follow that same timeline, 

Joy McIntyre: right? Yeah. Yeah. I think it's It just evolved the way it had to mm-hmm. because it was clear that in today's market, Very refined skills in marketing and management are needed, and it's more or less a full-time job. And for retired people at my age, for instance, to continue to do that. That's just too much. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. Uh, So now you can serve on the board and sort 

Joy McIntyre: of Right. I'm past president. I, I'm just, I, I just answer the phone, answer questions, that. 

Robyn Bell: Easy peasy. 

Joy McIntyre: Yeah. Right. 

Robyn Bell: And then you and I have also again, through Lee Daugherty Ross. Right. We've been judges for the Suncoast Music Scholarship. 

Joy McIntyre: Right. 

Robyn Bell: And that's when I first met you. And then, we were connecting, I think you asked if there was anybody at the college that could perform or do some sort of presentation for the Sarasota Music Archives, which I'm embarrassed to say I've been here 14 years and I didn't know about this , and so we started a dialogue about that. So tell us about yet this fourth thing that you're so intensely involved with. 

Joy McIntyre: Well, that's a wonderful thing too. I've been on the board of this Sarasota Music Archive for many years. And we had wonderful people to take care of our programming and lead the board. But, you know, time goes on and they leave for one reason or another, and so I became vice president of programming for the archive. And what we do is, present a series of programs, a concerts and lectures throughout the year, all free of charge at the Selby Library. And 

Robyn Bell: and is the Sarasota Music Archive sponsored by the library? Is it part of that, or is this a. Entity.

Joy McIntyre: Well, the Sarasota Music Archive is now a part of the library that was an agreement made a number of years ago.

Robyn Bell: Okay? 

Joy McIntyre: And so they have a designated space on the second floor, and they're open, I think four days a week. And you can borrow music. You can buy music there people. Donate music that they don't know what to do with, it's a shame to throw it away. So they bring it to the archive and if it can't be used or if it's a duplication, then we use that for fundraising and, may post that piece on eBay or some other place.

Robyn Bell: Right. To sell it. Yeah. Yeah. That's right's. Good. 

Joy McIntyre: So it's a way to donate music and have it benefit the community. 

Robyn Bell: And how would you compare the Sarasota Music Archive? Series. The lecture performance series to the musical Mondays at SILL is it similar?

Joy McIntyre: It is similar. Okay. And we use some of the same artists. It's useful if, when. Artists come from New York or from far away places. If they can get more than one appearance, it makes it worth their while to come to Sarasota. And that way we can keep the level of performance pretty high because we can offer them more than one performance.

Robyn Bell: And I would think too, if I'm. Someone that can't come to a Musical Monday, but oh, That same person is speaking here on Wednesday, 

Joy McIntyre: right? On Wednesday. 

Robyn Bell: Gives the patrons a choice. the Sarasota Music Archive completely free, 

Joy McIntyre: right? Is absolutely free. Okay. Because it's in the library. But we, do encourage donations cause we have to pay for it somehow. . 

Robyn Bell: And so how many presentations does the Sarasota Music Archive give in a season? 

Joy McIntyre: Well, It's up to us more or less during the pandemic. We couldn't do live performances, so we did you know, recorded performances that were posted on YouTube and I only did five of those. But now that we're back to full strength, we have 12. Lectures and performances alternating six and six in the winter season, January through March. And we started a new series this fall and you, Robyn are going to be I believe The first one 

Robyn Bell: I, Oh my goodness. 

Joy McIntyre: Yeah, you're the first speaker is called Professors Talk Music.

Robyn Bell: That's it. That's it. Professors. Music and I'm excited about this mostly cuz I get the morning off from work to come spend it with you at the, at the beautiful s library. And yeah, I'm gonna be talking about being a music professor and I think I'm gonna give a little conducting lesson that seems to be very popular with people. It gets 'em up at other seat and moving around. Good. It's also a lot of physical therapy, so , Right? That's good. I'm very, very excited about this. And that happens on uh, Wednesday, right? October 19th. At 10 30 in the morning? 

Joy McIntyre: Yes, that's the first one. 

Robyn Bell: Do people have to reserve a spot or can they just walk in?

Joy McIntyre: They do have to reserve cuz seating is limited and you can do that by going to the Sarasota Music Archive website and then following the prompts. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah, I should put some marketing out there about this. 

Joy McIntyre: That's a good idea. 

Robyn Bell: Yes, I, I get to right to work on that. 

Joy McIntyre: Right. 

Robyn Bell: All right, Joy, so what is next for you?

Joy McIntyre: Well, I mean, just doing my jobs, my various jobs, and I work with other organizations too. I'm helping Plymouth Harbor engage a few artists. And, you know, again, this business of, if we can get more than one gig for an artist, it makes it easier for them financially to come to Sarasota. 

Robyn Bell: So now I know that Sarasota is, South of where we are right now. We are in Bradenton on the campus of the State College of Florida. But is that maybe something I could entice you to include some sort of, Cuz we have a beautiful new recital hall I'm gonna show you in a little while. Seats 150 people. I don't know if you, have you been to our recital hall yet? 

Joy McIntyre: No, no I haven't.

Yeah, 

Robyn Bell: so there may be some opportunities. If you want even more performances, at least do something here with the music program. 

Joy McIntyre: That's interesting.

Robyn Bell: I know. I don't want people to be afraid to come into Bradenton. It's just four miles north of the airport. 

Joy McIntyre: Yeah. easy to find. 

Robyn Bell: You didn't have any trouble today?

Joy McIntyre: Oh, no. It's a beautiful campus. Easy to find.

Robyn Bell: Excellent, excellent. So we'll have to find some synergies there for you. 

Joy McIntyre: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: All right. I, I think I have one more question for you. Maybe I have two. Describe a perfect day for Joy McIntyre in Sarasota. Start to finish. 

Joy McIntyre: Well, yeah, that's driven a little bit By my age, a perfect day. would actually, you know, what I really look forward to is the days when I write my lectures for the music archive. I do five or six lectures each winter season. On opera and I get all of my books together and pile 'em up, and then I sit down in the middle with my feet up and, and a, and a legal tablet.

Robyn Bell: There's no Google there in your day for that. It's your books. I love that.

Joy McIntyre: It's my books and I've got so many wonderful books and it's exciting and I start putting the lectures together and that. A fun day for me. I love that. 

Robyn Bell: So let's say, you know, you have finished your, you've had a nice cup of coffee, you've done. Lecture writing. You have maybe a friend called say, Hey, let's go do something tonight. What are some of your favorite arts organizations to go see or hear?

Joy McIntyre: Well, I can tell you what I'm going to do in the short term. Tuesday, tomorrow night, I think I'm going to Guys and Dolls. 

Robyn Bell: Oh yeah. The Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. Yeah. Yep. 

Joy McIntyre: Yeah. I've been wanting to go there and Plymouth Harbor provides the bus and I said, Great. I'm buying a ticket. 

Robyn Bell: Nice. We're taking all of the music majors to see that performance on Friday, October 21st.

Joy McIntyre: Super. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. So that's a great organiz. 

Joy McIntyre: It's a great organization and that's a great show. 

Robyn Bell: It is. 

Joy McIntyre: So it's a terrific combination. 

Robyn Bell: And I'll throw in a plug for my pops orchestra because we have four performers from the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe performing on our first concert this season called Spirit of America.

Joy McIntyre: Great. 

Robyn Bell: Yes, we're doing spirituals and patriotic stuff. It's a, it's a nice kind of collection of things. I'm very excited. We have our first rehearsal for that tonight actually. 

Joy McIntyre: Sounds inspir. 

Robyn Bell: Oh, I, I hope everybody, especially me, is inspired. 

Joy McIntyre: Yeah, I'm sure they will be. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. How about this one? If you had one last opera to see in your life, what would it be?

Joy McIntyre: Oh, gosh. 

Robyn Bell: That's a hard one. 

Joy McIntyre: Yeah. I don't know. I mean, I have I'm grateful that you've asked that question. Rather than the, the one, What is your favorite opera? 

Robyn Bell: Yeah, right. . 

Joy McIntyre: I started telling people what my favorite opera is in their eyes. Glaze over. Can we talk about Madam Butter, please? ? 

Robyn Bell: That's right.

Joy McIntyre: So you, you said one opera left to see. Is there anything I haven't seen? I don't know. I've never seen Madea and the reviews coming outta the Metropolitan was this new production with Sa Radvanovsky are just absolutely sensational. Madea is an opera by Caribini. It's only done when you have a great female protagonist, and the last go around it was Maria Coll, and since then it, it is rarely done. So I'm really looking forward to watching the Met hd. 

Robyn Bell: Yes. Isn't that a fantastic series? They have or we can just see it anywhere in the world. It's great. Yeah. All right. Well congratulations. Joy McIntyre. . 

Joy McIntyre: I love it. , 

Robyn Bell: you are now officially part of the club, so should someone wanna keep like their tabs on you? Do you have social media or a website? Do you do anything like that? 

Joy McIntyre: No, no, no, no, no. 

Robyn Bell: Just a phone call. 

Joy McIntyre: I'm kind of a private person. 

Robyn Bell: You're a good texter. 

Joy McIntyre: Yes, I, I, I can text and yes, but that's, Yeah. I've just come to that in recent years. 

Robyn Bell: Well, what we can . 

Joy McIntyre: I'm learning. You see, there's still plenty left to learn,

Robyn Bell: Well, what we can do is if people wanna know more about you and your organizations, they can just search for those organizations, and I will put links to all of those websites and their social medias and stuff in our show notes. So I wanna thank you for taking the time to talk to me today about your life and your career and all you do for our arts on the Suncoast. And thank you for asking me to speak at the Sarasota Music Archive. I'm very excited and, and very honor. 

Joy McIntyre: Well, it's a pleasure and you're a great conversationalist and interviewer, so 

Robyn Bell: thank you. And I had a friend that used to tell me you could talk to a bag of cement. I didn't take that like it, 

Joy McIntyre: and it would soften. 

Robyn Bell: Thank you Joy. 

Joy McIntyre: All right. Thank you,