Joyful Jazz: Samara Joy Returns to Purchase to Inspire Musicians
The famous jazz singer and Purchase alumna teaches an open masterclass on finding the path to success.
By Annelise Durkin
The room fell quiet as Samara Joy began to sing “Stardust” by Hoagy Carmichael and Mitchell Parish for her masterclass, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Aspiring student musicians and Broadview residents gathered in the Music Building on Sept. 16 to watch the six-time Grammy-winning jazz alumna vocalist perform, teach and reflect on her journey as a musician.
Joy, who graduated from Purchase in 2021 as a jazz studies major, returned to campus with members of her band to share what she has learned throughout her career.
The masterclass became more than a performance; Joy and the musicians around her discussed the process of becoming an aspiring artist, finding confidence and not being afraid to make mistakes.
“I hope that students would take away some sort of life advice, music advice, and take the experience of what it means to be an artist in the world,” Joy said.
She continued on saying that being in a college setting could be a daunting experience. Joy wanted to ease some of the concerns that students may have about what happens after graduation, while also encouraging them to use college to develop their abilities as musicians.
For the students, the opportunity to learn directly from a Purchase alumna made the masterclass especially meaningful.
Junior jazz vocalist Aila Gibbs said, “I came to Purchase because of Samara, so I felt like it would only be right to get this opportunity.”
Gibbs said that she enjoyed hearing the musicians perform and listening to the different perspectives shared throughout the class. She also appreciated Joy's ability to make the conversation feel personal rather than distant.
"She makes it so it’s like a one-on-one group thing, whereas it’s not like she’s on this pedestal that we can’t reach,” Gibbs said.
That accessibility was one thing Joy had hoped to provide. She said it was important for students to hear from someone who had once been in their position and had since built a career in music.
"I think it’s coming from the perspective of somebody who was in your exact shoes and who made a life for themselves doing music,” Joy said. “It’s really important to just see that.”
Caroline Castro, a junior and saxophonist, said that the masterclass also changed the way she thought about the pressure of studying music.
“At the end of the day, you are just creating music,” Castro said. “You’re creating something that people get to enjoy, and I think that’s the beauty of it.” She said hearing different perspectives reminded her that, despite the demands of music school, students are ultimately creating something they love.
Joy also encouraged students to look beyond one style of music for inspiration. One moment that stood out to her was when she and the band demonstrated how an arrangement could draw inspiration from different genres.
“We were able to kind of demonstrate, real time, what it looks like to, glean inspiration from anywhere.” said Joy.
Austin Falvey, a senior who plays baritone saxophone, said that the discussion about different genres and musical influences was one of the parts of the masterclass that stood out most to him.
“The goal of finding my people to be around and play with and create that kind of environment that this ensemble has, I think that’s a goal that I want to strive for after this,” Falby said.
The chair of Purchase’s jazz department when Joy auditioned, Peter Malinverni, remembers recognizing her talent from the beginning. Joy arrived at her audition without knowing many of the standard songs from the “Great American Songbook,” so Malinverni asked if she knew any hymns. She chose “Blessed Assurance,” a song Malinverni knew well from his own background performing in church.
“I recognized her talent right away, of course, but finished the song because it was so beautiful,” Malinverni said.
According to Malinverni, her talent continued to stand out in the classroom, where she sat in the front, asked questions, and took detailed notes.
“Even now, I point to the seat she always chose, by way of encouraging current students to do the work,” he said.
Joy’s return also reflected the lasting relationship between Purchase and its alumni. President Michael Steiper said he was grateful that Joy continued to return to campus and connect with students.
“[She] has been so incredibly successful, stays so willing to come back and talk to students, nurture their aspirations, and connect with them. [She] is amazing and wonderful,” said Steiper.
As Joy ended her class, the message remained centered on the process of becoming an artist: practice, study, listen and remain open to different possibilities. “There's no shortcut to being great and to being a good musician," she said. "You have to practice. You have to learn and constantly learn. I think all of those skills that you develop here are gonna carry for the rest of your life.”
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