At an age when many consider slowing down, Joanna Borrett is just getting started — and now, her music will be studied alongside the likes of Bach, Mozart, and Elgar. Trinity College London has selected three of her works for its prestigious music exam syllabus, marking an extraordinary milestone in her unexpected second career.
Her music has already achieved extraordinary recognition:
- Three of her string works are now part of the world-renowned Trinity exam syllabus.
- Her compositions have been featured on BBC Radio 3, Magic Classical, and even selected as Video of the Day by Gramophone.
- Her orchestral piece Clan was performed by the Duchess of Edinburgh’s string orchestra at royal investitures in Holyrood Palace.
- Clan was also chosen as Album of the Weekend by Scala Radio, receiving praise for its “ravishing beauty” and “emotional depth.”
“I never imagined I’d be starting a new career in my sixties,” Joanna says. “But teaching myself to improvise and gradually developing the confidence to compose has been truly liberating. I feel more aligned with my work now than I ever have before.”
Joanna’s story is not only about music — it’s about perseverance, curiosity, and passion. After a 20-year break from performing, she returned determined to do things differently. From running her own professional string orchestra in Peterborough in the 1980s to now collaborating with emerging talent at the Royal College of Music, she has continually redefined what’s possible.
Her journey is also deeply personal. The first piece she ever composed, Morning Prelude, was written to comfort her newborn twin grandsons. From that moment, she discovered the transformative power of melody has continued to compose the music that is in her heart.
“When I see my name listed alongside world-famous composers in the Trinity syllabus, I feel thrilled, but I still struggle to believe it,” Joanna adds.” I would love to encourage others not to be put off by society’s expectations of age and treat this stage of working life the same as any other.”
Joanna’s inclusion in the Trinity music syllabus marks a significant milestone. Her pieces Ceilidh (the fourth movement of Clan) has been selected for the Grade 4 viola syllabus, while both One Morning and Ceilidh (the first and fourth movements of Clan) appear in the Grade 5 and 6 cello syllabuses. The Trinity exams take place three times a year — autumn, Easter, and summer — and are open to all candidates, who perform selected pieces along with scales, sight-reading, and aural tests.
The new syllabus will be officially used from 2026, though teachers are already starting to prepare students, as most take around a year to get ready.
“The syllabus lists mainly feature iconic composers like Bizet, Boccherini, Elgar, Dvořák, Mozart, Copland, Purcell, Handel, Bridge, Gershwin, MacMillan, Bach, Lloyd Webber, and Corelli,” Joanna explains.
“It’s wonderful to see Trinity making space for newer voices — I’m truly honoured to be one of them.”
And while Joanna’s debut album Moments of Freedom arrives this autumn, she views it as just one milestone in a much larger mission: to show that music — and ambition — can thrive at any age.
Follow Joanna Borrett
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanna.borrett/
Website: https://www.joannaborrett.com/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/joanna00
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-es/artist/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChdnD0zzibVT7kxagnAe2sA
