Katherine Ann Spencer



Katherine Ann Spencer As a solo clarinettist Katherine Spencer has performed concertos at the Royal Festival Hall, Free Trade Hall Manchester, solo recitals at the Birmingham Symphony Hall, Queens Hall, Edinburgh and in major concert Halls in Germany, France, Austria and the Czech Republic. She performs regularly for radio stations across Europe on both modern and period instruments, including Live Broadcasts for Classic FM, a Live Concerto Broadcast for BBC Radio 3 and duo recitals for Hessicher Rundfunk. She has also recorded the Brahms Sonatas and Beethoven Trio for the Oxford Classics Label with pianist Sam Haywood and cellist Martin Storey and the complete wind quintet works by Patterson for Meridian Records with the Galliard Ensemble.

Katherine has a keen interest in contemporary music and has commissioned and premiered works from double Clarinet and Piano Concertos to Clarinet and Harp Duos by composers in venues such as St John's, Smiths Square and on Israeli State Radio. With her Wind Quintet she has also set up the Galliard Wind Quintet Composition Competition which is now in its third year of running.

Her prizes and awards include 1997 Yamaha European Foundation winner, Prize winner in Concertina Praga International Wind Competition, Frederick Bulgin Medal presented by the Worshipful Company of musicians, Countess of Munster Trust Award, Martin Musical Scholarship, Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music Scholarship and Royal Philharmonic Award.

As a chamber musician Katherine has had the honour of performing the Mozart Clarinet Quintet with the remaining members of the Amadeus Quartet and has worked for 5 years for the "Young Musician's Trust" with the Belcea and Emperor Quartets. Her chamber ensembles "The Ragnaroks", "Ensemble LYS" and "Galliard Ensemble" have performed in the Wigmore Hall as winners of the Maisie Lewis Award; at the Purcell Room as winners in the Park Lane and FRESH series; at the Bridgewater Hall as part of the Manchester Midday series; at the Serpentine Gallery as part of the BBC Proms; and they have also given BBC Radio 3 broadcasts as part of the Young Concert Artist's Forum. Katherine's chamber music groups also take a keen interest in community work and have participated in the Welsh Arts Roundabout Scheme.

Katherine has recently been awarded the" Star Award" from the Countess of Munster Trust and is a part of their recital scheme next season. Forthcoming events also include being guest soloist with the Orchestra of the Swan for seasons 2000-01 as well as concert tours of Portugal and Scandinavia.