Joana Daunytė is a professional harpist, playing solo and chamber music and a winner of many international competitions. Joana, 'Lithuanian Ambassador for the Harp' has performed at concert halls in Switzerland, France, Norway, Ireland, Germany, Great Britain, Russia, the Netherlands, Spain, and United States of America. The wide scope of her musicianship is demonstrated by her repertoire, encompassing harp music from various eras, her search for the expressive possibilities of the harp, and her participation in projects of modern music. Now Joana is in the final stages of studies for a soloist diploma from the Norwegian Academy of Music, collaborates with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, and is a member of a unique family ensemble “Regnum Musicale”.

After graduating from the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Arts (class of Daiva Šlyžienė) in 2008, Joana Daunytė has been developing her own style of playing the harp through study at several great harp schools. She studied with professor Florence Sitruk, who she calls her guiding star, in a special Talent Class (in 2007). Joana undertook her Bachelor degree studies at the Geneva Academy of Music (Switzerland, 2008–2011), followed by further studies at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam in the class of the professor Erika Waardenburg who trained a constellation of famous harpists (2011–2013). Now she is the first harpist in the history of the Norwegian Academy of Music to be admitted to prepare for the Soloist Diploma. Her teacher there is the renowned French harpist, Isabelle Perrin. Her studies there are focusing on solo playing and interpretation as well as closer examination of the French school of harp playing.

Masterclasses have been an important feature of Joana's study and have given her a variety of perspectives. She has worked with the American educator Prof. Susann McDonald (Switzerland), Prof. Fabrice Pierre (France), Prof. Isabelle Perrin (France), Prof. Isabelle Moretti (France), Prof. Maria Luisa Rayan-Forero (USA), Prof. Skaila Kanga (Great Britain), Prof. Milda Agazarian (Russia), and Prof. Erika Waardenburg (the Netherlands).

Joana Daunytė is a winner of many international competitions: 1st prize (Spain, 2014) and 2nd prize (Spain, 2011) in the international competition of chamber music Concurso Iberico; she won a competition to enter the 10th World Congress of Harpists programme, Focus on Youth (the Netherlands, 2008); Joana was awarded with a special prize and Grand Prix at the Magic Sounds of the Harp Festival (Russia, 2007); she won the audience’s prize at the harp competition in Lille (France, 2006); at the Martine Geliot Young Music Talent Competition she was awarded the finalist’s diploma and won a special prize (France 2004); the Central Committee of the Youth Ambassador Program elected Joana to represent Lithuania (Ireland, 2005); she won the second prize at the International European Music Competition Musique en Picardie (France, 2004).

Joana Daunytė has performed at many international music festivals, including performing solo and in chamber music at the Classique dela Madeleine Festival (Switzerland, 2014), a concert tour in the United States of America (2014) frequent performances in the Sugrįžimai Music Festival (Lithuania), the premiere the work 'Intermezzo Italiano' dedicated to Her by composer Vytautas Barkauskas at the first Baltic Harp festival (Lithuania, 2011), a cycle of concerts at Hommageau Compositeur Ferenc Farkas (Switzerland, 2010), participation in the Mecklenburg-Pomerania Classical Music Festival (Germany, 2007).

In 2015 Joana started collaborating with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, she is regularly invited to be harpist with National Symphony Orchestra of Lithuania, and often plays at the Klaipėda Musical Theatre. In 2013, together with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Olivier Grangean (France) performed Carl Reinecke’s Concert for Harp and Orchestra. In 2013 she performed with Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Orchestra for their main season. In 2012–2013 she collaborated with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2006–2008 Joana Daunytė was the Artist of the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra.

Joana is dedicated to the development of harp composition in Lithuania. She has premiered many works, including: Intermezzo Italiano by Vytautas Barkauskas, the Concerto for Harp and Orchestra by Vladas Švedas (performed at the Kaunas National Philharmonic together with the National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Juozas Domarkas in 2009), and Five Dances for harp Solo Antique Shop by Jonas Jurkūnas, which was dedicated to her.

Joana was won many scholarships and appreciations: SEM (Stichting Eigen Muziekinstrument) Fund Scholarship (the Netherlands, 2014); a scholarship to take postgraduate courses at the Villecroze Music Academy given to her on the initiative of one of the world-famous harp professors Marie-Claire Jamet (France, 2008), a scholarship for the traineeship at the Villecroze Music Academy given at the request of Professor Isabelle Moretti of the Paris Conservatoire (France, 2015). 2005–2008 she was a beneficiary of the Rostropovich Fund. In 2014 she was granted the memorial scholarship of the Ministry of Culture and received the status of artist-author. In 2008, 2012, and 2015 the Presidents of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė and Valdas Adamkus awarded Joana with honourable mentions for musical achievements and proclaiming Lithuania abroad. She received the awards of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

Joana takes part in improvisation and creative projects together with the ensemble Regnum Musicale. She has often collaborated with the best-known ensembles of Lithuania: Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble Musica Humana, Kaunas String Quartet, Vilnius Municipality Choir Jauna Muzika. She has performed at the halls of Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Luxembourg Philharmonic, Lithuanian National Philharmonic, Kaunas Philharmonic, Klaipėda Concert hall, etc.