LINCOLNSHIRE CLARINET DAY WITH NICHOLAS COX
Nicholas Cox (Principal clarinetist with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra) spent the 8th of March as the guest artist at the Lincolnshire Clarinet Day for Lincolnshire Music Service (organised by PJS Music Services) at Banovallum School in Horncastle. He worked and performed with the Symphonic Wind Band and in particular the clarinet section which had the best clarinet students in the county.
The Lincolnshire Symphonic Wind Band are made up of the most advanced brass & woodwind players from throughout the area and they meet and rehearse together centrally in Horncastle on Saturdays. One of the aims of the day was for Nic to help choose a soloist to perform Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto at the Symphonic Wind Band's forthcoming 8-date tour of Spain.
The day started with Nic taking sectional rehearsals firstly with the clarinet section and then with the 4 solo finalists. In the afternoon each soloist performed with the full Symphonia as Nic played with the 3 clarinet sections. After a short break Nic then conducted the full Band and performed the Mozart Clarinet Concerto in the evening.
Nic spent the final hour with the 4 finalists both individually and as a group, he worked through the different movements of the concerto giving guidance and advice on areas to be worked on. He then joined members of the music service to choose the winning soloist who, besides performing with the Symphonic Wind Band in Spain this summer, was presented with a Yamaha YCLCS-GH clarinet by Nic.
The four finalists were Chris Atkinson (Grantham), Joe Graves (Lincoln), Emily Summerlin (Louth) and Rebecca Watkinson (Normanby by Spittal). Chris Atkinson was named the winner and is pictured receiving the clarinet from Nic.