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Neil Hickling MMus BMus(hons) FISM

clarinettist and saxophonist

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Biography

Neil was born in Nottinghamshire in 1976.  His musical education started with piano lessons at the age of eight with Jazz pianist Bert Hartley.  He began learning the clarinet at school at the age of thirteen with Roy Hinson, and in 1992 commenced lessons with Roy's son, the distinguished clarinettist Nigel Hinson. 

 

In 1995 he was awarded a place at London's Trinity College of Music, where his principal teachers were Keith Puddy (clarinet and 18th century clarinet) and Anthony Jennings (bass clarinet).  Alongside he received tuition in orchestral repertoire, wind chamber music, related instruments (saxophone, basset horn, E flat clarinet), Jazz arrangement & composition, improvisation, history/anaylsis, pedagogic skills and participated in regular performance workshops with a number of celebrated musicians including Nicholas Bucknall, Stan Sulzman, Wissam Boustany, Frank Celata, Ian Herbert,  Mark Van der Wiel and Gerard McCrystal.   

 

After graduating from TCM in 1999 with a Bachelor of Music Degree, Neil continued his studies at the University of Surrey, studying clarinet with Alexander Allen, and was awarded a Master of Music Degree in 2000. 

 

Neil enjoys a varied career as performer and teacher and is based in Hampshire.     


TEACHING



Neil has over  25 years experience teaching clarinet, saxophone and theory, coaching chamber music and working as an orchestral wind section tutor.   His teaching practice has covered a wide range of abilities from beginner through to university and music college level, and he has held a number of school/college appointments over the years including positions at the Royal College of Music and the University of Surrey.  Neil's pupils have gone on to study music at  a variety of universities and conservatoires throughout the country. 

 

 

 KEY SKILLS, EXPERIENCE and INTERESTS


Thorough understanding of single-reed technique, established through study with some of the profession's leading exponents and many years of professional playing experience


Detailed knowledge of the clarinet and saxophone repertoire & associated performance practice issues


keen interest in and knowledge of a variety of Jazz idioms 


practical experience entering pupils for ABRSM, TCL and LCM instrumental examinations including Jazz grades


Diploma teaching experience [classical clarinet, classical and jazz saxophone]


Experience working with a past finalist of the BBC  Young Musician of the Year competition and members of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. 





CURRENT TEACHING APPOINTMENTS


The Sixth Form College, Farnborough, Hampshire

All Hallows Catholic School, Farnham, Surrey

Cranleigh School, Cranleigh, Surrey

Farnborough Hill School, Farnborough

Lord Wandsworth College, Long Sutton 

Surrey Arts

Royal College of Music, London (junior dept deputy)

PERFORMING

Neil enjoys a varied performing career that encompasses symphonic, theatre and opera orchestral playing and chamber music. He has worked with many notable conductors including Martyn Brabbins, Ryan Wigglesworth, Andrea Quinn and Diego Masson and performed with singers and musicians including Sir John Tomlinson, Mark Padmore, Roderick Williams, Daniel Pailthorpe, Andrew West and Joanna MacGregor. He works regularly with a number of professional orchestras including the Chameleon Arts Orchestra, Orchestra of Surrey Opera and the Merriman Concert Orchestra.


With Surrey Opera hes has performed many of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries greatest operas and played in the premiere of two neglected British works; Samuel Coleridge Taylor's 'Thelma' and George Lloyd's 'Iernin'. In 2021 he performed in the first performance of David Hackbridge Johnson's 'Madeleine'.


In 2002, Neil co-founded the clarinet quartet Ensemble 4. The quartet had an eclectic repertoire including a number of Neil's own arrangements. They performed regularly across the UK and abroad at concert venues ranging from the great cathedrals and castles of England and Scotland to small libraries! In 2005 they undertook a Channel Islands Music Council Tour which saw them performing recitals on Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney and Sark. After giving the premiere of Joseph Vella's 'Contrasts', they were invited to perform at Malta's Victoria International Arts Festival in 2008.


Other chamber music experience includes performances with the ensemble Linoi and as a duo partner with pianist Matthew Rickard.



Selected performing resume


Ensemble 4


Aug 2002: Culzean Arts Guild, Culzean Castle in Scotland


Feb 2003: Tithe Barn, Wellingborough


Mar 2003: University of Essex


Jan 2003: St Jame's Church Piccadilly


Apr 2003: Cheltenham Town Hall


May 2003: Warwick Arts Centre


May 2003: 'Live in Libraries' County Durham


June 2003: Ewenny Festival


Aug 2003: Cranleigh Arts Centre


Nov 2003: Boston Arts Club


Feb 2004: University of Hull


Mar 2004: Bude Music Society


Aug 2004: Guest artists at Hindhead Clarinet and saxophone Course


Oct 2004: Tithe Barn, Wellingborough


Nov 2004: Hemel Hempstead Music Society


Jan 2005: St Anne and St Agnes, London


Apr 2005: Sleaford Music Club


May 2005: Chipping Sodbury Music Society


June 2005: Channel Islands Music Council Tour


Aug 2005: St Lawrence Jewry Music Festival


Mar 2006: Bideford Music Club


Jun 2006: Great Bowden Recital Series


Jul 2006: Private recital, Gloucestershire


Aug 2008: Chichester Cathedral Concert Series


Sep 2006: Tithe Barn, Wellingborough


Aug 2007: St Lawrence Jewry Music Festival


Jul 2008: Victoria International Arts Festival, Malta


Oct 2009: Music At St Mary Magdelene, London


Mar 2010: Farnborough Music Society



Surrey Opera


2003: Macbeth


2004: Fiddler on the Roof


2004: The Magic Flute


2005: Peter Grimes


2006: A Masked Ball


2007: The Mikado


2008: The Merry Wives of Windsor


2009: Madame Butterfly


2009: The Barber of Seville


2010: My Fair Lady


2010: The Bartered Bride


2011: The Gondoliers


2012: Thelma


2013: Iernin


2014: Camelot


2016: A Midsummer Night's Dream


2018: Candide


2021/22: Madeleine


2022: Don Giovanni


Linoi Ensemble


Apr 2001: Holy Trinity Church, Guildford


Sep 2001: Holy Trinity Church, Guildford


Nov 2004: Cranleigh Arts Centre


Jul 2005: Charlton House Recital Series


May 2006: Lord Wandsworth College


St Endellion Festival Orchestra


2011: Summer Festival


2014: Summer Festival


Hickling/Rickard Duo


Apr 2010: Recital 'British Music for clarinet and piano': St Peter's Concert Series, Old Woking


Nov 2012: Recital 'The Singing Clarinet', St Peter's Concert Series, Old Woking


Nov 2014: Recital 'Something Borrowed', St Peter's Concert Series, Old Woking.


Chameleon Arts Orchestra


Feb 2020: St John's Smith Square London


May 2022: Sherbourne Abbey Dorset


Nov 2022: Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden


Merriman Concert Orchestra


Dec 2018: St Nicholas Church, Cranleigh


Mar 2019: Cranleigh School Speech Hall


Oct 2021: Cranleigh School Speech Hall


Nov 2021: 'The Snowman' outreach project









 

For enquiries contact:


HICKLINGCLARINET@GMAIL.COM




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