‘,Biography

Clarinettist Katherine Spencer made her concerto debut at the age of fourteen at the Royal Festival Hall and has since performed there as concerto soloist many times. She has also appeared as soloist with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, The Irish Chamber Orchestra, Hannover Band, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, The Academy of St Martin in the Fields Orchestra in venues such as the Barbican Centre, Birmingham Symphony Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall, made many live Radio 3 solo broadcasts, and performs regularly on Classic FM and European radio stations.

Katherine is principal clarinet of the Age of Enlightenment Orchestra, The City of London Sinfonia, The Academy of Ancient Music as well as regular guest principal with the Irish Chamber Orchestra, Gabrieli Consort and Hannover Band. Her freelance work sees her regularly playing with many of Europe’s leading orchestras of both period performance and modern symphony orchestras.

As a chamber musician Katherine was chosen by the BBC to be on their Young Generation Artists Scheme which has facilitated her continuing to perform internationally with her ensembles regularly in Festivals such as the BBC Proms and the Barbican’s “Mostly Mozart Festival”

She has recorded the Brahms Sonata and Beethoven Trio for the Oxford Classic label with Sam Haywood and Martin Storey and many of her discs with the Galliard Ensemble, of which she is a long standing member are highly acclaimed in the world press, Gramophone and BBC Music Magazines.

Katherine has recently taken up a professorship at the Royal Academy of Music alongside her orchestral participation work. Katherine is committed to bringing music to all areas of society. She is regularly devising and delivering valuable community projects, from composing and recording an entire film score written in collaboration by a mainstream and special needs school, to linking art and music to homeless people, which were exhibited in London’s main art galleries. She believes in the power of therapeutic music making to make a difference to all people’s lives.

…that was a foretaste of fine musical things to come, especially from the period woodwind in the obbligato solos of this noble score.

Mozart’s Clemenza di Tito – The Times

The Glyndebourne Chorus plus the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment – with its brilliant clarinet solos, and its melting harpsichord and cello continuo – wrapped everything in a glow of beauty.

Mozart’s Clemenza di Tito – Independent

Sprinkled into the gap between quintets is a succession of other solo wind pieces including “Linoi”, in a knockout performance by clarinettist Katherine Spencer

Her playing sounded effortless, coaxing a whole gamut of timbres from her instrument in a stunning display of virtuosity