Supported by Sir David Gascoigne & Dame Patsy Reddy

Born in Manresa, Catalonia, Joan discovered his passion for the double bass aged 12. 

He studied in London with Thomas Martin at the renowned Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Following graduation, he moved to Japan, where he was a founding member of the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra and Principal Double Bass  until 2008.

A return to Europe in 2008 saw Joan freelancing in several orchestras in the UK and Spain. He was also a member of the UBS Verbier Festival Orchestra and the Lucerne Festival Academy, where he worked under the direction of Pierre Boulez.

In 2009, Joan became a member of the prestigious Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra, which greatly influenced his musical development. Playing with the VFCO is an ongoing source of musical inspiration - in 2021, Joan was with the VFCO at the Verbier Festival playing alongside great artists such as Gábor Takács-Nagy, Daniel Harding, Klaus Mäkelä, Joshua Bell, Janine Jansen, Steven Isserlis amongst many others.

Joan joined the NZSO in 2013, coming from his position as Co-Principal with the Orquesta de Castilla y León in Spain. He has held the position of Double Bass Section Principal with the NZSO since 2017. When possible, he continues to collaborate on projects with the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra, and collaborates as guest principal in other orchestras, such as in the Singapore Symphony Orchestra most recently in 2023.