Jo Cathrine is a bassoonist and woodwind player from the north of England. Jo has been a performer and woodwind teacher since graduating from the UK’s Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in 1996. After nearly 20 years of freelance performing and teaching/management for music services and independent schools in the UK, Jo moved to Qatar in 2013 to teach woodwind at Qatar Music Academy in Doha. She is a seasoned teacher with over 25 years of experience, whether it be for individual, group or whole class instrumental lessons and ensemble direction.

In 2016 Jo moved to Abu Dhabi and took up woodwind teaching positions at schools including Brighton College and British School of Al Khubairat. Following this, in 2021 Jo moved to Dubai as Principal Bassoon and Section Leader of Woodwind and Brass with Firdaus Orchestra. Jo has performed with many artists including Beyonce?, Christina Aguilera, Andrea Bocelli, Yo Yo Ma, AR Rahman, Ilia Raja, Iyad Rimawi and Atif Aslam and has experienced performing a variety of genres from operas and classical symphonies to Arabic and Bollywood.

Jo plays bassoon with the UAE National Symphony Orchestra and is also a multi woodwind instrumentalist in local shows and freelance ensembles. During her years in the UK, she performed with various ensembles in both orchestral and theatre work, including the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Mid Wales Opera and Buxton Festival Opera. Jo has recorded in the studio for film scores, advertising scores and pop music.

Jo describes herself as an enthusiast and is always enjoying her free time by pursuing something exciting. Before leaving the UK, Jo spent her free time skydiving as both an instructor and a competitor and still holds a UK record as well as a few national and European medals. This culminated in representing the UK in the skydiving world cup in Bosnia in 2013. These days, although not skydiving, Jo enjoys keeping active and enjoys training for triathlons, scuba diving and the rather more sedate, yet very frustrating game of golf.

Jo also loves cats and has rescued and rehomed over 40 to date.