Joël started with singing before he can remember. At school and on Sundays on special occasions, he would sing in front of the community in the church. Later on Joël enjoyed guitar and piano lessons which helped him in his musical development.

In the year of 2008, Joël moved to Rotterdam, a big city with a lot of opportunities. Because of his love for music he visited the conservatory Codarts a lot to get lessons in music theory and music. Thus Joël applied for the Bachelor of Music in Education and got accepted. Not shortly after he started this education, his singing-teacher informed him about the concept countertenor, because he was singing in his falsetto so often. The first thing Joël found, when he went on the internet, was the aria Erbarme Dich from J. S. Bach, sang by Andreas Scholl and Michael Chance. Joël immediately fell in love with the music and said: "This is what I want to do." After this being said, he applied for the Bachelor of Music as a countertenor and started his singing lessons with Carolyn Watkinson and is finished his studies with Charlotte Riedijk in June 2016. 

His repertoire varies from Sweeter than Roses and Music for a While by Henry Purcell to songs of Charles Ives and even Mahler's "second" in the choir. Joël frequently participated in composer project weeks, in which the composer students from Codarts would write new songs for the Classical singers to perform.

 

From 2010 till 2015 Joël sang as a choir memeber but also as a soloist with the Rotterdam young men’s choir, De Coolsingers. This choir is very diverse in its repertoire, from early middle age music to newly composed pieces. In the season of 2015/16 Joël was an active member at the "Laurenscantorij" in Rotterdam, led by Wiecher Mandemaker.

Joël often visits the Royal Conservatory in The Hague to take lessons at the Early music department. In august 2014 Joël travelled, after a successful crowdfunding, down to Siena, Italy to enjoy masterclasses given by Michael Chance, Lynne Dawson and Paul Beier. Upon return, Joël gave a concert to the sponsors to show his gratitude and his developments. The following year Joël attended the Summerschool of Micheal Chance again to have more lessons with even more renowned musicians; Ian Partidge, Daniel Taylor and Giulia Nuti, to teach the participants.

In 2014 Joël made his debut in the Opera Amadigi di Gaula by Händel as Amadigi, in Rotterdam. Shortly after that, in March 2015 he made his debut in the concert hall de Doelen with a solo recital.

 

In his musical career Joël enjoyed the teachings by great performers like Michael Chance, Lynne Dawson, Daniel Taylor, Elisabeth Priday, Claron McFadden, Maria Riccarda Wesseling, Andrew Schoeder Renate Behle and Margreet Honig.

Joël finished his studies in June 2016 by means of a recital in the concert hall de Doelen in Rotterdam. With financing through crowdfunding and subsidies he was able to cover all expenses for renting the concert hall and working together with the professional early music orchestra Os Orphicum, led by Iason Marmaras. For his recital Joël was awarded with a 9 out of 10 cum laude.

 

Joël graduated in 2019 top of his class with Jörn Dopfer at the university of music in Hamburg. He is scholar with the Oscar und Vera Ritter foundation, the Rotary Club Hamburg-Elbe, VSB fond and the Prince Bernhard foundations.

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Vuik was rewarded a rather extrordanairy scholarship called stART.up in the year of 2019/20 from the Claussen-Simon-Stiftung. This scholar exist not only of finacial support, but also of an intensive seminar curriculum with focus on the well-being of the careers of freelancing artists. As alumnus Joël remains well connected with the Foundation.

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In Mai 2018 Joël Vuik won the 1st prize in the Elise Meyer competition.