Neil Hickling MMus BMus(hons) FISM
clarinettist and saxophonist
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 taught for a number of prestigious establishments including the Royal College of Music and the Universities of Oxford, Surrey and Exeter. Neil currently holds a number of appointments at schools and colleges across Surrey and Hampshire. Neil's wealth of playing experience informs his approach to teaching which is grounded in promoting a professional level of technical awareness and musical delivery, whilst maintaining a fun atmosphere in lessons.
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
Cranleigh School, Cranleigh, Surrey
Farnborough Hill School, Farnborough
Lord Wandsworth College, Long Sutton
Surrey Arts (Weydon School and Ash Manor School)
Tomlinscote School, Frimley
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
Sherborne Festival 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Sherborne Abbey Dorset
Nov 2022 and 2023: Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden
Nov 2024: Leominster Priory
Mar 2025: St Andrew's Garrison Church, Aldershot
May 2025: Cathedral of St Michael and St George, Aldershot
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
Mar 2023: Cranleigh School Speech Hall
Mar 2025: Cranleigh School Speech Hall
Theatre bands
recent projects have included West Side Story, Oliver!, Little Shop of Horrors, Bugsy Malone, Yeoman of the Guard, Pirates of Penzance.
For enquiries contact:
HICKLINGCLARINET@GMAIL.COM
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