From the Head of Joyful Noise
Professor Jay LeBlanc had already been a close family friend for years now. However, last chapel, I got curious about his involvement with Joyful Noise, Huntington University’s student worship band. So, this past week I asked Jay if I could informally interview him about his experience as head of Joyful Noise. He happily agreed, so we met for lunch and got to talking.
Neither of us know exactly when or how Joyful Noise started, but according to Jay, it was started by a group of students in the mid to late 1990s. Jay himself joined the Huntington University faculty in 2018. I asked about any recent events that were special to him. First, he told me that last weekend the group went to Mansfield, Ohio. There, they led worship at a young adult conference that Friday and Saturday. Next, he said that this year, Joyful Noise has been doing some middle school and high school retreats. As for events yet to happen, Jay looks forward to this Sunday, as Joyful Noise will be leading worship at College Park United Brethren Church. He did not ask me to say this, but you should consider checking it out.
Next, I wanted to know if there was a strong community both on and backstage, and he gave a confident nod. Regarding the band, he remarked how amazing it is “watching students grow in musical skill and worship,” and later added, “What’s such a blessing to me is seeing the students of Joyful Noise, seeing them lead worship […and] seeing people respond to that leading […] it’s really cool.” As for the tech team behind the scenes, Jay said, “[they are] just as much [a] part of the team as those on stage because we couldn’t do the show without them.” The tech team is more than the hands behind the noise. They are part of the community, as Jay mentions how everyone, both technicians and musicians, pray together after every rehearsal.
To close out the interview, Jay said that auditions for Joyful Noise are always open, and you can find his contact information at huntington.edu/Meet-The-Faculty/Jay-LeBlanc. Call me biased, but Jay is a wonderful person, so don’t be afraid to reach out!
