On this page, Joanna introduces herself in her own words, and shares links to her music, her website, and her social media platforms. We warmly invite programmers and commissioners to take a closer look at Joanna's work, and please be in touch with us if you would like to connect with her.

About Joanna

I am delighted to have been selected for the RPS Composers programme, which comes at the perfect time, having taken an extended break from composing to raise my children and work as a visiting musician in state schools to champion and secure music education. I am hugely excited to return to composing again.

Opera, theatre and outreach projects are a keen focus in my work, rooted in the belief music can transform and uplift lives, especially those of vulnerable communities. I composed English National Opera’s first children’s opera, directed by Katie Mitchell, followed by another that toured to 70 theatres and schools, also working with Opéra National de Paris and the Royal Swedish Opera. 

Vocal composition is an avid part of my work - I enjoyed long-term collaborations with contemporary vocal specialists Jane Manning and Sarah Leonard, and my two BBC Proms commissions were vocal-based. I am equally invested in instrumental writing and have been commissioned by London Symphony Orchestra on several occasions, the most exciting culminating in an open-air concert in Trafalgar Square! 

Coming from the same Suffolk coast as Britten, I too draw inspiration from the sea and nature. I have received several commissions for Britten Pears Arts, including a piece to celebrate Britten’s Centenary and songs for their Friday Afternoon Projects. I studied on the Britten Pears Contemporary Composition course, London Symphony Orchestra’s Panufnik Scheme and was Birmingham Contemporary Music Group’s Apprentice Composer; this brought long-term mentorship from Oliver Knussen and Colin Matthews. I hold a PhD in composition and Honorary Membership for outstanding achievement from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

Highlights

• Joanna has been commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra on several occasions, including a large-scale collaborative work for the LSO, students from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and children from the LSO's On Track programme, performed at an open-air concert in Trafalgar Square.
• She was awarded two BBC Proms commissions: one for the BBC Singers to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Proms founder Sir Henry Wood, and another for Birmingham Contemporary Music Group celebrating the 90th birthday of Pierre Boulez.
• Joanna has composed a number of operatic works, including English National Opera's first children's opera, a community opera involving more than 2,000 performers, and an opera that toured to 70 theatres and schools. This includes projects with Opéra National de Paris and the Royal Swedish Opera.
• As a Composer Assistant to Paul Englishby, she contributed to projects for an Oscar-nominated film, the Royal Shakespeare Company, Abbey Road Studios, Ronnie Scott's, and The Royal Ballet.

Find out more

If you are interested in finding out more about Joanna, hearing and and keeping up to date with her work, take a look at her website below:

• Website

Joanna's RPS commission and her place on the RPS Composers programme is kindly supported by the Susan Bradshaw Composers' Fund. The RPS Composers programme could not happen without the support of RPS Members, PRS Foundation Talent Development Network supported by PPL, Delius Trust, Fidelio Charitable Trust, Garrick Charitable Trust, Idlewild Trust, John Ellerman Foundation, Marchus Trust, Presteigne Festival, RPS Susan Bradshaw Composers' Fund, Vaughan Williams Foundation, WildKat, and several anonymous donors.