Joanna studied cello in London and Moscow. At her Wigmore Hall debut the Daily Telegraph noted her “ardently responsive style”  but it was while working as principal cellist of the Scottish Baroque Ensemble that Joanna realised how much she loved string orchestral music. This resulted in her forming Peterborough String Orchestra in 1983. Under her artistic directorship the orchestra received excellent national reviews.

Joanna loves reading and has worked as a journalist and magazine editor. But in 2011 she returned to music and played with a violinist who encouraged her to arrange repertoire. This, alongside teaching herself to play by ear and improvise, eventually gave her the confidence to start composing, and she first sent music to publishers in 2021. 

Joanna’s work is published by SJ Music, UM.P. and  she is a house composer at Kevin Mayhew.  Several of her pieces are included in the latest ABRSM and Trinity string exam syllabuses. Her Ensemble   recorded Joanna’s first string orchestra work – Clan – recently and the recording was chosen as Album of the Weekend by Scala Radio  , Video of the Day by Gramophone  and the third movement has been played on Radio 3’s programmes Earlier and Classical Unwind.  Clan has also been played by The Duchess of Edinburgh’s String Orchestra at the royal investitures at Holyrood Palace.

The recording of Joanna’s song cycle  – Moments of Freedom – is being released in September, and Her Ensemble are recording more of her string orchestra music in October. Her beginner cello and piano book – Wild Cello – has just been published.