Joel Bolen was born and raised in the small town of Morris, IL. He started to study the piano in 5th grade, and by 8th grade, he was already accompanying the choir, playing at church, and entertaining residents at his grandparents’ retirement community.
Joel Bolen studied piano, percussion, and organ at Millikin University in Decatur, IL. He completed a Bachelor of Music with a dual focus on classical and commercial piano performance. During his time at Millikin, he accompanied choirs such as the University Choir under the direction of Brad Holmes, and Singing Blue, the university’s show choir. Additionally, he participated in diverse ensembles including jazz combos, a big band, percussion ensemble, Latin percussion ensemble, and the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra. Joel also served as organist at a local Presbyterian Church.
Joel earned his M.M. in piano performance from Belmont University in Nashville, TN. He completed additional coursework in jazz studies, collaborative piano, and orchestral conducting. Extremely active as a collaborative pianist, he accompanied vocalists and instrumentalists at Belmont University and Vanderbilt University.
Living in Nashville for almost 23 years, Joel performed with bands in and around the area. He served as Director of Music at St. Matthew in Franklin, TN, for 17 years. Here, he directed adult choirs, children’s and youth choirs, handbell choirs, and led music for weekend and school Liturgies. Also, he taught class piano and private piano lessons at Nashville State Community College, Belmont University and Academy, as well as through his own private studio.
In 2023, he relocated to the Twin Cities with his wife when they learned they were expecting a daughter and wanted to be near family and raise their child in a community that more authentically reflected their values. He is currently the Director of Music at Ascension Episcopal Church in Stillwater, MN, and is the pianist for the River City Chorale in Hudson, WI. They reside in Woodbury with their dog, Banjo.