Jodi DiPiazza
{{Short description|American singer (born 2001)}}
Jodi DiPiazza (born October 3, 2001) is an American musician, composer, vocalist, and autism advocate. She was diagnosed with autism some time before her second birthday.{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2012/10/autistic-girl-jodi-dipiazza-performs-with-katy-perry/|title=Autistic Girl, Jodi DiPiazza, Performs with Katy Perry|website=ABC News|access-date=2017-03-12}} A musical prodigy, she has absolute pitch. She learned to play the piano at age three, being able to hear a song and reproduce it.{{Cite news|url=http://archive.northjersey.com/arts-and-entertainment/music-helped-rochelle-park-girl-transcend-autism-to-become-music-star-1.420282|title=Music helped Rochelle Park girl transcend autism to become music star|last=YORIO|first=KARA|work=NorthJersey.com|access-date=2017-03-19|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=http://dng.northjersey.com/media_server/tr/2006/09/24autism/Day3.pdf|title=Bringing Jodi Back|last=Yorio|first=Kara|website=North Jersey Media}} She also plays other instruments (such as guitar, clarinet and drums) and performs in a number of genres.
She is a graduate of Rollins College in Orlando, Florida, where she is studied music and was inducted into the prestigious music honor society of Pi Kappa Lambda.
Performing career
In 2012, DiPiazza appeared at Comedy Central's Night of Too Many Stars, an annual fundraiser for autism programs, at New York City's Beacon Theatre.{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/09/weird-al-autistic-childrens-choir-yoda_n_6831918.html|title=Weird Al And Autistic Children's Choir Perform 'Yoda' At 'Night Of Too Many Stars'|last=Goodman|first=Jessica|date=2015-03-09|work=Huffington Post|access-date=2017-03-19|language=en-US}} This event included DiPiazza's duet performance of "Firework" with Katy Perry.{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/17/jodi-dipiazza-katy-perry-duet-firework_n_1970861.html|title=Jodi DiPiazza: Girl With Autism Duets With Katy Perry On 'Firework' At Night Of Too Many Stars Autism Benefit|date=2012-10-17|work=Huffington Post|access-date=2017-03-19|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=http://mashable.com/2012/10/19/katy-perry-firework-autism-jodi-dipiazza/#_wTyXD5QhZqo|title=Katy Perry and Girl With Autism Bring Down the House With 'Firework' Duet|date=October 19, 2012|work=Mashable}}
In October 2012, DiPiazza was a guest on Good Morning America, where she performed "Tomorrow" from Annie.{{Cite news
|last=Yorio
|first=Kara
|title=Music helped Rochelle Park girl transcend autism to become music star
|newspaper=The Record
|location=Bergen County, New Jersey
|publisher=Gannett Company
|date=2012-10-28
|url=http://archive.northjersey.com/arts-and-entertainment/music-helped-rochelle-park-girl-transcend-autism-to-become-music-star-1.420282
|accessdate=2017-03-11}}{{cite web|url=http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2012/10/katy-perry-autistic-fan-tomorrow-annie-good-morning-america-video/|title=Katy Perry's Autistic Fan Performs Heartwrenching Annie Song 'Tomorrow'|date=October 19, 2012|website=Radar.com}} In April 2013, DiPiazza performed on Fox News Health watch with Dr. Manny.{{cite web|url=http://video.foxnews.com/v/2338275287001/?#sp=show-clips|title=Changing the tune of autism|last=Alvarez|first=Manny|website=Foxnews.com|date=2 May 2013 }} She also performed a duet with Moira Kelly at the Montclair State University.{{Cite news|url=http://www.njtvonline.org/news/uncategorized/montclair-state-and-fairleigh-dickinson-public-relations-societies-host-benefit-concert-for-autism-nj/|title='Jersey Girls' Benefit Concert to Raise Money for Autism New Jersey {{!}} NJTV News|date=2014-04-30|work=NJTV News|access-date=2017-03-20|language=en-US}}{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.montclair.edu/calendar/view-event.php?id=26751 |title=Tony Award Winner Headlines Benefit for Autism - Montclair State University |website=Montclair.edu |date=2014-05-01 |accessdate=2017-03-12}} She performed "For Good" from Wicked at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, New Jersey.{{cite web|url=http://archive.northjersey.com/arts-and-entertainment/music/jodi-dipiazza-and-100-years-of-broadway-at-bergenpac-on-saturday-1.708939 |title=Jodi DiPiazza and "100 Years of Broadway" at BergenPAC on Saturday - Music - NorthJersey.com |website=Archive.northjersey.com |date=2013-09-26 |accessdate=2017-03-12}} In October, she appeared at the Genius of Autism benefit at the Hudson Theatre with Matt Savage in New York City hosted by Adam Richman.{{Cite news|url=http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1021663/genius-of-autism-awards|title=Genius of autism awards|date=2013-10-29|work=SheKnows|access-date=2017-03-20|language=en-US}}
In 2013, DiPiazza appeared on El Tiempo (Colombian broadcast TV) in an interview with Wilson Vega and performed "The One That Got Away" by Katy Perry.{{cite web|url=http://www.eltiempo.com/Multimedia/especiales/esp_video/tiemporeal/|title=Tiempo Real, entrevistas cámara a cámara|website=Video|access-date=2017-03-12}} In April 2013, she appeared on the Fox News Street talk television program with Antwan Lewis. She performed "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" from the Disney film Cinderella.{{Cite news|url=http://www.epicschool.org/161/|title=EPIC's Dr. Paul Argott on Fox News - EPIC School {{!}} Paramus, New Jersey|date=2013-06-11|work=EPIC School {{!}} Paramus, New Jersey|access-date=2017-03-12|language=en-US}}
On April 2, 2014, DiPiazza was selected to record at the Converse rubber tracks studio for autism awareness with the indie rock group Meridian.{{cite web|url=https://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2014/04/09/musical-collaborators-light-it-blue-converse-rubber-tracks|title=Musical Collaborators Light It Up Blue at Converse Rubber Tracks|date=2014-04-09|website=Autism Speaks|access-date=2017-03-12}} In May, 2014 she performed a duet of "On the Street Where You Live" with Laura Benanti. In September 2014, she performed at The Cutting Room, with Jon Batiste: A Benefit for The Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine.{{cite web|url=http://tickets.thecuttingroomnyc.com/event/660933-jon-batiste-benefit-for-new-york/|title=Jon Batiste: A Benefit for The Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine - Tickets - The Cutting Room - New York, NY - September 22nd, 2014|website=The Cutting Room|language=en-US|access-date=2017-03-11}} DiPiazza's life story was discussed in the preface of the book In a Different Key: The Story of Autism by John Donvan and Caren Zucker.{{Cite news|url=http://archive.northjersey.com/arts-and-entertainment/books/an-up-close-and-personal-history-of-autism-1.1502894?page=all|title=Tenafly journalist Caren Zucker co-writes history of autism book|last=YORIO|first=KARA|work=NorthJersey.com|access-date=2017-03-15|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QB6-DQAAQBAJ&q=in+a+different+key+the+story+of+autism|title=In a Different Key: The Story of Autism|last1=Donvan|first1=John|last2=Zucker|first2=Caren|date=2017-01-17|publisher=Crown/Archetype|isbn=9780307985705|language=en}}
In February 2015, DiPiazza returned to the Night of Too Many Stars fundraiser and collaborated with "Weird Al" Yankovic on his parody, "Yoda".{{Cite news|url=https://time.com/3737214/weird-al-yankovic-comedy-central-night-of-too-many-stars-autism-benefit/|title=Watch Weird Al's Touching Performance With Singers Who Have Autism|last=Waxman|first=Olivia B.|date=2015-03-09|publisher=Time Inc.|location=New York|newspaper=Time|access-date=2017-03-11}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.ew.com/article/2015/03/09/watch-weird-al-yankovic-jodi-dipiazza-perform-yoda-night-too-many-stars|title=Watch 'Weird Al' Yankovic, Jodi DiPiazza Perform 'Yoda' at Night of Too Many Stars|date=March 9, 2015|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|last1=Daley|first1=Megan|accessdate=December 19, 2016}} In April 2016, she sang the National anthem on autism awareness night at the New York Red Bulls soccer match.{{Cite news|url=https://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2016/04/11/ny-red-bulls-host-autism-awareness-night-pledge-april-and-win|title=NY Red Bulls host Autism Awareness Night; pledge in April and win|work=Autism speaks}} In May, she performed a duet with Stephanie J. Block at the Montclair State University.{{Cite web|url=http://prssa.prsa.org/news/chapter/news/display/1393|title=PRSSA Chapter News: Broadway star Stephanie J. Block headlines autism awareness fundraiser at Montclair State University|website=Prssa.prsa.org|language=en|access-date=2017-03-20}}
On November 18, 2017, DiPiazza once again performed on the Night of Too Many Stars, where she performed "Rise Up" with Tony award winner Cynthia Erivo and The Roots.
On June 25, 2018, DiPiazza made her Broadway debut in the show "Arts for Autism" at the Gershwin Theatre, where she sang "The Girl I Mean to Be" from The Secret Garden as well as a duet of "Corner of the Sky" from Pippen with Tony award nominee Max von Essen and a children's choir of 200.{{Cite news|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/cabaret/article/Broadway-Comes-Together-At-The-Gershwin-To-Benefit-Autism-Speaks-20180625|title=Broadway Comes Together At The Gershwin To Benefit Autism Speaks|author=BWW News Desk|work=BroadwayWorld.com|access-date=2018-06-26|language=en}}
Advocacy
In 2010, DiPiazza wrote and performed a composition called "Heroes of Autism" for Toys "R" Us to be used in conjunction with a fundraiser for Autism Speaks. This campaign raised over $3,000,000.{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-weird-al-yankovic-yoda-autism-telethon-jodi-dipiazza-20150309-story.html#|title=Weird Al Yankovic, young people with autism sing 'Yoda' on telethon|last=Lewis|first=Randy|date=2015-03-09|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2017-03-19|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}} In 2013, DiPiazza was one of the speakers at the National Autism Conference held at Penn State University where she joined Bridget Taylor of the Alpine Learning Group.{{cite web|url=http://autism.outreach.psu.edu/archive/conference-schedule-2013|title=Conference Archive 2013 {{!}} National Autism Conference|website=Autism.outreach.psu.edu|language=en|access-date=2017-03-12}} In October 2013, she received the Building Futures Award from Children's Aid And Family services for her autism advocacy.{{cite web|url=http://www.cafsnj.org/enewsletter/october-2013.htm|title=October 2013 {{!}} Children's Aid and Family Services|website=Cafsnj.org|access-date=2017-03-12}} DiPiazza has also performed at the ReelAbilities film festival which focuses on films of people with special needs.{{Cite news|url=http://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/jcc-film-festival-highlights-special-needs/|title=JCC film festival highlights special needs|work=Jewish Standard|access-date=2017-03-17|language=en-US}}
In June 2014, DiPiazza performed a concert at the Special Olympics National games in Ewing. She was also the featured guest in Newtown Connecticut at Families United in Newtown (F.U.N.) benefit concert May 19, 2016.{{cite web|url=https://newtownbee.com/fun-concert-brings-families-together/|title=FUN Concert Brings Families Together|website=Newtownbee.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-03-12}} She was a host with Pat Battle and Steve Weatherford at the Autism Speaks walk in Metlife Stadium.{{Cite web|url=http://www.advertisernewsnorth.com/article/20140527/NEWS01/140529928/Bubble-blowing-event-raises-autism-awareness|title=Bubble-blowing event raises autism awareness {{!}} Vernon NJ {{!}} Local News|website=www.advertisernewsnorth.com|language=en|access-date=2017-03-19}} In April 2017 DiPiazza appeared at a benefit for Autism NJ at Montclair State University and performed a duet with Marin Mazzie of "I Whistle a Happy Tune" from the King and I.{{Cite news|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Marin-Mazzie-to-Headline-2017-Montclair-State-PRSSA-Concert-to-Benefit-Autism-New-Jersey-20170301|title=Marin Mazzie to Headline 2017 Montclair State PRSSA Concert to Benefit Autism New Jersey|author=BWW News Desk|work=BroadwayWorld.com|access-date=2017-04-10|language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.jodigirl.com/ Official website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:DiPiazza, Jodi}}
Category:American women pop singers
Category:American women pianists
Category:American musicians with disabilities