Johanna Hirst - Trombone
Freelance trombone player and teacher

Originally from South Yorkshire, Jo learnt to play the trumpet and piano at the age of seven, later on going onto play the trombone aged fifteen, under the guidance of Sonia Mellor. Jo started playing in all kinds of styles, being a principal in all the Rotherham Youth Ensembles (Orchestra, Brass Band and Big Band), which lead her onto being members of the Yorkshire Youth Orchestra and many successes with the Frickley South Elmsall Brass Band. In 2004 she gained a Scholarship to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama with Roger Cutts, and it was since her move to Cardiff that she started to concentrate on developing a career for herself as a freelance musician. Jo feels lucky to have had some amazing playing experiences since being in Cardiff. In her youth she gained a place on the National Youth Brass Band of Wales and the National Youth Symphonic Brass Ensemble of Wales. Jo was principal trombone of the RWCMD Brass Band, Brass Ensemble and Orchestra.

Jo has regularly appeared with Sinfonia Cymru since 2004, just completing a tour with them and Bryn Terfel which was televised for S4C. Jo is a regular member of the extra-orchestra with the Welsh National Opera, playing in Khovanschina (Mussorgsky), Otello (Verdi), Carmen (Bizet), La Traviata (Verdi), Aida (Verdi), Belshazzar’s Feast (Walton), Rigoletto (Verdi) and Maestersingers (Wagner), not to mention numerous rehearsals. Jo has also appeared with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. In her spare time she finds herself appearing in all manner of ensembles around the country! These include the Doncaster Concert Band, Eynsford Concert Band, Flowers (Polysteel) Band, Tredegar Brass Band, Leyland Band, Yorkshire Building Society Band, the BTM band and the Dearne Valley Big Band. Jo was a member of the Cory Brass Band (ranked no. 1 in the world at the time) between 2007 and 2009, winning two European Championships, a Welsh Regional Contest and a brass in Concert competition and also playing with World-renowned trombone-superstar Wycliffe Gordon. Currently Jo is combining her trombone playing with completing a Masters Degree in Performance (with the help from a scholarship from the Musicians Benevolent Fund and the EMI sound foundation) and teaching brass peripatetically for both Rhondda Cynon Taff and Gwent Music Support Services.