About Joanna

Cellist Joanna Frank is a passionate and multi-faceted collaborator and performer of both modern and baroque music. She is currently a second-year undergraduate at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, studying with Professor Alan Rafferty. Originally from Rochester, NY, she studied with Christopher Haritatos for 11 years, and in 2024 received an honors diploma from the Eastman Community Music School. In 2024 she was also a recipient of the Douglas Lowry Award in conjunction with the Rochester Music Hall of Fame. A former member and two-season principal of the Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra, Joanna performed on the HYSO tours to Germany, the Czech Republic, and Italy. Joanna has also appeared as a soloist with several ensembles, including HYSO, the Finger Lakes Symphony Orchestra, and her former high school orchestra.

An experienced collaborator, Joanna she has played in chamber groups since the age of nine and has placed in numerous competitions such as the Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music competition, the chamber music competition at CCM, and Glow Music of Cincinnati. She now performs regularly with multiple chamber groups at the CCM. Her festival experience includes Point CounterPoint, the Ascent Cello Festival, and the Ascent International Chamber Music Festival.

 As a baroque cellist, Joanna has appeared at the Cincinnati Early Music Festival, CCM’s production of L’Egisto, the Baroque chamber ensemble at CCM, as well as accompanies various singers and instrumentalists. For the summer of 2026, she is set to attend both the Tafelmusik Summer Baroque Institute and the Cambridge Early Music Baroque Summer School.  Outside of music, Joanna enjoys hiking, crocheting, traveling, learning German, spending time with her cat named Rob, and sleeping whenever possible.