Alex Joannides was born on July 3rd 1982 in London. She moved to Wales at the age of 6 where she continues to live and work. Music has always been an important part of her life and is very prominent in her family. Her grandmother was her first piano teacher at the age of 5 and her great grandfather was the director of a mandolin school in Greece.
In 1999 she was accepted to attend the Junior Department at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, which she attended every Saturday from 1999-2000. From 2001-2005 she studied composition with Lynne Plowman at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and graduated with a 2:1 degree. During her time there she won the Eirwen Thomas Award for meritorious achievement in her final year and also had two of her compositions performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in 2001 (Sunrise at Sea), and in 2005 (Cyclops’ Cave).
She then went on to study an MMUS in composition from 2005- 2007. She received two awards during 2006, the Pendyrus Trust/Glynne Jones Scholarship in June 2006, and won an award from the Music Sound Foundation in August 2006. In the summer of July 2006 she attended the International Music Festival and summer school in Aberystwyth where international artists Philippa Davies (Flute), and Jan Willem Nelleke (piano) performed her piece Reverie.
In March 2007 Alex collaborated with UWIC on the play Lord of the Flies where she composed original incidental music. This was performed at the Wales Millenium Centre, Cardiff. Alex has recently finished an MMUS in composition.
In March 2008 she collaborated with Everyman Theatre Company and wrote original incidental music for the production of Peer Gynt, performed at Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. After a successful collaboration, she then went on to arrange the music for Toad of Toad Hall with Everyman Theatre Company in July 2009, performed at St Fagans open-air theatre, Cardiff.
Alex now teaches privately alongside being a freelance composer.
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Alex recently created a website for the Abertawe Festival For Young Musicians. For more information please visit www.afym-swansea.co.uk