Joanna Borrett’s Moments of Freedom, A Moving Five-Part Song Cycle, Launches This Fall

Moments of Freedom by Joanna Borrett arrives 29 September, expressing five stages of life.

On 29 September 2025, composer and cellist Joanna Borrett will release her debut vocal work, Moments of Freedom — a cycle of five original songs composed for mezzo-soprano and piano. Each piece delves into a distinct emotional stage of life, uniting melody with meaningful themes of growth, love, and reflection.

This recording, made at the Royal College of Music, features captivating performances from Angelina Dorlin-Barlow and Firoze Madon, a former BBC Young Musician of the Year finalist. Their interpretation of Borrett’s work, supported by Nick Sears, brings both technical finesse and emotional depth to the cycle.

Commenting on the project, Joanna says, “Moments of Freedom is a cycle of five songs that represent different stages of life. Working with Angelina and Firoze was a joy — their insight and commitment added an extra element to the music and I was thrilled by their artistry.”

Her return to composition followed a 20-year break from performing. Choosing to teach herself new musical skills, Joanna embraced improvisation and arranging before transitioning into composition. Her breakthrough came when she was signed by Kevin Mayhew Publishers.

Since then, her compositions have reached broad audiences — with airplay on BBC Radio 3, recognition by Magic Classical, and features from Gramophone Magazine. The Duchess of Edinburgh’s orchestra has even performed her works at royal events.

Recently, three of her string compositions were selected for the Trinity exam syllabus, a notable achievement highlighting her growing role in modern classical education and performance.