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Joel Raney began his career at a small rural church in Alabama where he cut his teeth on gospel music from the old Broadman Hymnal . He studied piano, organ, and choral conducting at the University of North Alabama , and then went on to receive his Master of Music degree in piano performance from The Juilliard School in New York . After graduation, he worked as a musical director and conductor for numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway productions.
Joel currently owns a music production company in Chicago, Catfish Music, where he and a team of composers create music for television and radio commercials. Their work has been heard on ads for McDonalds, Burger King, Kraft, Coca Cola, Hallmark, and Sears . He has written more than 2000 scores for commercials, including a Cleo award-winning choral arrangement for American Airlines.
Joel is an editor at Hope Publishing Company in Carol Stream , Illinois . He has recorded four piano solo CDs: An Instrument of Your Peace, Overtures of Praise, This is my Story, This is my Song , and Images of Christmas. His love of church music and his unique career experience came together in the mid 90s, when he began writing and arranging sacred music. He has an ever-growing catalog of chorals, piano solo books, organ and piano duets, and instrumental music. Joel keeps busy as a choral and keyboard clinician, and often can be heard performing with organist Jane Holstein in churches and universities around the country. He currently serves as artist-in-residence at the First Presbyterian Church in River Forest , Illinois , where he plays regularly for the services and composes for the choirs and ensembles. |
