Joan Chissell

Joan Olive Chissell (22 May 191931 January 2007) was an English writer and lecturer on music, and music reviewer for The Times 1948–79. She made a special study of the life and works of Robert Schumann.

Career Joan Chissell was born in Cromer, and was educated at the Manor School in Sheringham. She gained a scholarship at Royal College of Music (RCM) in 1937, where she studied piano and composition with Kendall Taylor, theory under Herbert Howells and history and criticism under Frank Howes. Despite this, while at the RCM she gave the first UK performance of Maurice Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand. and broadcast for the BBC.

She was devoted to the music of Robert Schumann (also an aspiring pianist whose career was curtailed by injury), and wrote two books about him (1948, "Master Musicians" series; 1972).