We have just returned from a third graduation ceremony this year, this time for Joanne, who has just graduated from Sheffield University with a First Class Honours Degree in Music. Needless to say that we are very proud of her, she has worked extremely hard over the last few years, but not at the cost of being a whole human being!
Jo has always loved music, she began playing the Viola, her main instrument when she was seven, and has continued with it ever since, playing with school and County Orchestras in Essex and Norfolk, she also played with the Norfolk Symphony Orchestra, and for the North Norfolk Gilbert and Sullivan Society along with a number of (often paying) engagements. At University she played with the orchestra and with various ensembles, earlier this year we enjoyed hearing her play Vivaldi's Four Seasons as a part of a small chamber music group .
Having said all of that Jo is not intending to make music the focus of her career. In fact she recieved news today that she has a place on an internship with a Luton based charity who go into schools and work with young people providing workshops and therapies for young people who are finding life tough. Jo herself knows what that is like, having a brother with a major heart condition meant that sometimes her needs were overlooked, and she struggled with that in many ways, and had some difficult years as a teenager.
She has overcome all of that to become a beautiful, confident, talented young woman. Her interests include sailing ( a family must!), pot holing ( just mad) and reading ( dozens of books often several at once). She has been an actie member of St Thomas Crooks Church in Sheffield, but will obviously be moving on to pastures new. As with the other two this year it brought a lump to my throat to see Jo recieve her degree. I can only repeat; I am very proud of her!
