Our Team

The Artist Outreach is led by a dedicated group of passionate creative-thinkers. Our team strives to foster the imagination while engaging individuals to learn.

Staff and Leadership

Officers and Directors

Volunteer

Staff and Leadership

Joseph Vincelli

Chief Executive and Director of Development & Curriculum

Joseph has toured and recorded as a solo artist for the last 35 years. His songwriting and recording artist career has spanned from New York City to Hollywood, CA, and throughout the world. During his studies at Berklee College of Music, Vincelli researched composers’ philosophies and found that he shared an understanding of art’s societal impact. This in turn fueled a 15-year research project and led to the writing of “The Art of Tone, Understanding Our Love for Music.” His book has become the educational basis for The Artist Outreach curriculum.

Vincelli owns a patent and a trademark on his award-winning educational hardware, software, and the current methodology used at TAO. Additionally, he has several copyrights on musical compositions and literary books. His invention, “Rhythm Clock” has won national awards on bringing innovative ideas to statewide, regional, and national audiences, fusing music and math concepts within one product.

Joel McCray

Contributing Curriculum Writer & Producer

Joel McCray started playing recognizable melodies on the piano at 18 months old. By age five, his mother started giving him classical, gospel, and improvisational lessons.

McCray has over 30 years of performing/directing experience from overseeing various worship departments including two mega-churches, music ministries, Cornerstone Baptist Church of Arlington, TX, and Crossroads Christian Church of Grand Prairie, TX. At these ministries, he served as the department head, lead keyboardist, music director, arranger, worship leader, and organist. Joel has produced seven personal, instrumental projects and recorded over 40 projects for other local, regional, and international artists. He currently travels with national jazz recording saxophonist, Joseph Vincelli and has performed with a number of acts including Kirk Franklin, Kirk Whalum, Boney James, Fred Hammond, and many more.

McCray is currently the music director at Word of Truth Church in Arlington, Texas. He is also founder and instructor of J & B Music Ministries. As an instructor, he has a unique ability to be relatable, relevant, musical, creative, fun, and engaging. He understands the language of music as a performer and instructor, but most importantly, he values the opportunity to help the student find their own path of creativity.

Candy Williams

Music Teaching Artist, Curriculum Specialist

Candy Williams earned her M.Ed. in Instruction and Curriculum – Literacy Skills from UTA and holds Master Reading Teacher and Reading Specialist certifications. She taught middle school ELAR and ESL classes in the Dallas ISD for 19 years. Her focus included organizing campus poetry clubs that featured her students performing their original poetry on school stages and local coffee shops.

Candy’s love of literature and poetry is joined by an equal passion for music. She studied voice performance at the University of Oklahoma, and she has been seen on music and theatrical stages throughout the Midwest. Her CD “Open to Love” showcases her talents as singer and songwriter.

As she is a teacher who understands firsthand the value of the performing arts, Candy considers her affiliation with The Artist Outreach to be an opportunity of a lifetime.

Kiersten Underwood

Lead Teaching Artist & Program Coordinator

After a decade in the classroom, Kiersten is taking her teaching career to the next level. With a passion for education that burns brighter than ever, she is currently pursuing her general education certification to further hone her craft. As a principal teaching artist, Kiersten taps into her creative side to inspire and empower TAO’s next generation of students. Whether leading, engaging lessons, or helping other teaching artists build on ideas, her steadfast commitment to TAO’s mission has proven to be successful.

She is now adding to her roles by helping as support staff which is becoming invaluable to the tight-knit group at The Artist Outreach.

Currently, TAO’s Team has 5 additional Teaching Artists & Support Staff