Joyce Howard Barrell facts for kids

Joyce Howard Barrell (born Gedye) was an English composer. She lived from 1917 to 1989. Joyce was born in Salisbury, England. She studied music at Leicester University. There she learned piano from Benjamin Burrows and Harold Craxton. She also studied violin with Grace Burrows. After her studies, Joyce became a composer. She also taught guitar and played piano for others. In 1945, she married another composer, Bernard Clements Barrell. Joyce wrote about 90 pieces of music. She composed from 1939 until she passed away in Ipswich, England.

Her Music and Compositions

Joyce Howard Barrell mainly wrote two types of music. She composed chamber music and music for children. Chamber music is played by a small group of instruments. It is often performed in a smaller room or "chamber."

Selected Works

Here are some of her notable musical pieces:

• Dialogues for flute and viola da gamba. A viola da gamba is an old string instrument.
• Three Fours for viola and piano, Op.45 (written in 1986).
• The Hacheston Quintet for two violins, viola, cello, and piano, Op.67a (written in 1988). A quintet is a piece for five instruments.
• What am I?, a collection of six songs for a children's choir and piano, Op.68.
• Serenade for saxophones, Op.92. A serenade is a calm and light piece of music.
• Nightmare for soprano (a high female singing voice), clarinet, and piano, Op.93. The words for this piece were written by Stephen Coates.