Joanna Forbes L’Estrange (b.1971) is a
multifaceted musician who performs, composes,
records, directs and produces music in a wide
variety of genres. Her career began with seven years
as soprano and Musical Director of the five-time
Grammy® award-winning vocal group The Swingles,
with whom she toured the world and produced six
albums. Specialising in contemporary crossover
music, Joanna is a regular soloist for Mass in Blue
by Will Todd (which she recorded for the Convivium
label) and Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concert. With
the world’s leading orchestras and contemporary
music ensembles she performs works by Steve
Reich and Luciano Berio and has sung on over 300
film soundtracks.
One of the Royal School of Church Music’s best-
selling composers, Joanna was commissioned to
compose an anthem to mark the coronation of King
Charles III. The Mountains Shall Bring Peace was
sung by over 600 choirs around the world including
in the USA, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand
and throughout Europe and the UK. Her music has
been performed and recorded by Tenebrae, The
King’s Singers, The Swingles, The Military Wives
Choirs, The National Youth Choir and London
Voices, on the album Heaven to Earth (SIGCD790).
Television credits include Fleabag, which featured
her 1940s-style song You Are, and Glee, which
featured her Moonlight Sonata arrangement.
Joanna has composed many pieces in support of
equal opportunities for women. She made history
by organising the first all-female recording session
at Abbey Road Studios in London, recording her
single Twenty-First-Century Woman for International
Women’s Day.