Affiliated with the national Young Audiences Arts for Learning network
Artist Biography
At age 44, Andee Joyce was officially diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum; seven years later, she self-diagnosed as needing to sing for as many strangers as possible, and began doing shows as a singer-songwriter. In 2021, she created her one-woman musical comedy, RHYTHM AND AUTISM, in which Andee tells the story of how her lifelong autistic obsession with rhythm, shaped by the pop culture cheese of her childhood, ultimately became a way to connect with others on the deepest level. But in order to get there, she had to reckon with her internal “Clappy Monster,” which showed up during the pandemic and changed her relationship with music (and other people) forever. Andee’s multi-octave, multi-textured voice, playful humor, and earworm hooks all add up to a show that gets the entire room grooving. RHYTHM AND AUTISM is a thunderously joyous, rhythmically infectious celebration of difference and an open invitation for everyone to be everything they are.
Teaching Philosophy
Andee's believes that what we call "talent" equals opportunity plus motivation. Her goal is to provide the former and inspire the latter, and make it fun. She also embraces the idea that it takes all kinds of brains to make a world, and that everyone has something important to contribute. Andee carries this philosophy over to teaching kids about rhythm, and believes in meeting people wherever they are as a starting point. Some of us are snare drums, some are kick drums, some are hi-hats, some are crash or ride cymbals, and some are other kinds of percussion -- we need them all to make a full drum set!
