Joanna Clarke BMus(Hons), LGSMD

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Joanna started playing the electronic organ at the age of six, going on to win several regional competitions and also the 'Young Theatre Organist of the Year' in 1991. During 1992 she gained 1st place in the national finals of the 'Yamaha Electone Festival', which saw her go on to compete in the European finals in Milan.

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She took up the piano, harpsichord and double bass during this time, playing with both the Coventry and Warwickshire Youth Orchestras.  Joanna gained a place studying at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama graduating with a BMus(Hons) degree in 1997, already having vast experience of playing in orchestras, bands and as a soloist. 

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Since then, Joanna has taught both privately and in many schools in Coventry and Warwickshire, lectured at two colleges on the National Diploma in Pop Music course, taught and examined for Yamaha Music Schools and in 2003 became an examiner for the Guildhall School of Music external exams service, examining in places such as Cyprus and Singapore before subsequently becoming an examiner for Trinity Guildhall.

Joanna is currently a generalist examiner and a piano, electronics and strings specialist.  She also examines the Trinity Rock & Pop and Yamaha exams. 

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She is Trinity's advisor for Electronic Keyboard and recently has been helping develop the new keyboard syllabus, arranging (and sometimes composing) many of the pieces and recording much of the repertoire for the CDs.  She regularly gives workshops to teachers and examiners on the syllabus and recently visited Dubai & Abu Dhabi to conduct some teacher workshops. She is also the instrumental advisor for Trinity Rock and Pop keyboard exams.

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Joanna enjoys working as a piano accompanist, playing for exams, recitals and concerts. She also directs the music for panto and for the last four years has been on the judging panel for a national pop music competition, acting as lead judge since 2014.
 

With expertise in both classical piano and more modern keyboard techniques, Joanna is a versatile player of all styles and is able to tailor-make her lessons to each individual.