Joanne Roughton-Arnold

Bedford-based soprano, Joanne Roughton-Arnold began her vocal studies with Esther Salaman while a postgraduate violinist at Trinity College of Music and since September 2003 she has been pursuing postgraduate vocal studies at Birmingham Conservatoire. In 2004 she was awarded the conservatoire’s inaugural Postgraduate Certificate prize and in June this year she will complete the M.Mus. (Voice).

Recent performances have included Sarah Whitehead in Malcolm Williamson’s English Eccentrics under Lionel Friend (Birmingham Conservatoire), Fiordiligi in Cosi fan Tutte (Birmingham Conservatoire opera scenes), recitals in London and Birmingham, soloist in Dallapiccola’s Commiato with the Thallein Ensemble under Edwin Roxburgh, Hippolyta in The Fairy Queen / A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Birmingham Conservatoire), and Messiah (Bedford Messiah Choir).

In 2005 she joined Nelly Miricioiu’s class at the prestigious London Masterclasses, and in previous years has taken part in masterclasses with Emma Kirkby, James Bowman, Christoph Ritter, Alison Mary Sutton, Catherine Bott and Richard Jackson. She studies with Nelly Miricioiu and Margaret Field and is being supported in her studies by the Elizabeth Eagle-Bott Memorial Fund.

She is a versatile musician with wide ranging musical interests. Her repertoire includes oratorio, opera, contemporary music (including that from her native New Zealand), early music, and English, French, German and Russian song. Her extensive experience teaching music (voice, violin, viola, class music) make her an ideal workshop leader in educational and outreach work.