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Joanna Hyde

Biography

Profile:  Graduate Arts Award recipient Joanna Hyde is a talented musician and well-rounded Scholar (dad is an engineer, mom a piano teacher, and they have always encouraged her to explore various academic and social endeavors in addition to music).  Joanna said she has had a “multitude of inspiring moments” as a musician, pursuing classical as well as Irish, folk, bluegrass, and a variety of other styles.  In particular, it was when she played the violin for her ailing grandfather that the true beauty and gift of music hit home.  “Though Grandpa Gene could not recall who we were, my brother and I played for him, and he began to dance with his fingers, arms, and toes – movement we had not seen for so long. In those moments, music was simultaneously a source of communication, therapy, and pure enjoyment. Truly realizing the breadth of music through this interaction, on all levels emotional and intellectual, I knew that my pursuit of it would be entirely fulfilling throughout the rest of my life.”

Inspiration: In addition to her family, Joanna said Meg Hill, her teacher, mentor, and friend from her high school days at the Colorado Academy had an enormous impact on the direction of her life.  “Meg Hill is a lovely, spirited lady who pursued professional dancing for years before becoming a high school Spanish teacher. Not only was I inspired academically as her student, I also greatly benefited from her enthusiastic presence and guidance during rigorous high school years. As we have kept in touch more recently, I have been incredibly moved by her unwavering resilience through a recovery from breast cancer.”

Aspiration:  Throughout grad school and her professional life Joanna said she wants “to grow intellectually and artistically as a performer and teacher, and, ultimately, to share the joy of music with as many as possible.”

Making a Difference: While in high school Joanna began teaching violin and “I became a very lucky instructor to seven-year-old Eileen.”  The little girl was “endearingly shy, kind, and diligent” and Joanna came to cherish her time with Eileen.  “In our last lesson together before I departed for college, both her mother and I had teary eyes as Eileen gave me a thank you note she painted for me, which I still have.”  Teacher and student still keep in touch as Eileen continues with serious studies in violin, Joanna said, adding: “This is a very meaningful progression and relationship for me as a musician and person, and I feel very fortunate to have been a part of Eileen’s musical journey.”

Accolades: As a high school senior, Joanna was awarded the Boettcher Scholarship, a prestigious merit-based scholarship given to high school seniors in the State of Colorado to attend any of the state's four-year institutions. In addition, Joanna graduated Magna Cum Laude from Colorado College and was invited to join Phi Beta Kappa.

Interesting Fact:  Joanna has an 87-year-old grandmother with whom she still skis each winter. “She has lived and worked in the mountains for more than 35 years, and skiing is her weekly winter exercise!” Joanna also had ambitions in elementary school of starting professional ice hockey franchises across Canada. “With a Canadian father, hockey was my favored sport; I once knew all trivia possible about our local team, the Colorado Avalanche.”

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