Violin
Joana Praça was awarded the prestigious position of Junior Fellow at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she currently studies with Ofer Falk and Stephanie Gonley.
Joana’s solo debut was in her hometown, Setubal (Portugal) with Sinfonietta de Lisboa (Lisbon’s Sinfonietta), in 2017. Joana regularly performs with Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa (Portuguese Symphony Orchestra), Orquestra de Câmara Portuguesa (Portuguese Chamber Orchestra) and Sinfonietta de Lisboa (Lisbon Sinfonietta). Joana has performed in major Concert Halls throughout Europe such as Royal Festival Hall, Barbican Hall, Konzerthaus Berlin, Romanian Athenaeum, Cadogan Hall. Joana has also been part of Ensemble Juvenil de Setúbal (Setúbal’s Youth Ensemble) – an inclusive ensemble that joins classical musicians, people with disabilities and from underprivileged backgrounds.
A keen chamber musician, Joana was a finalist with the Kenley Piano Quartet, at the Ivan Sutton Chamber Prize (2019) at the Guildhall School. The Kenley Quartet enjoyed multiple engagements including a performance at the Milton Court Concert Hall – London – on the same year. The quartet also collaborated with Carnegie Hall’s affiliate ensemble - the Decoda Ensemble from New York, in producing education workshops which were then delivered in schools around London; as well as having enjoyed a Mini-Residency in Taunton (2019) where it delivered both concerts and workshops. Joana has received the second prize in the National Competition of Montijo (Portugal) in 2016. In 2020/2021 Joana was involved in the organization of Setubal’s Camerata for Setubal’s Music Festival, Portugal.
Very enthusiastic about sharing music through teaching, Joana has been involved in multiple educational projects in the UK and Portugal. These projects have included leading and assisting with general musicianship workshops for children and toddlers from 1 to 18 years- old, as well as teaching the violin and viola privately.