Two clarinets to weave magical spell in Wyvern performance

By Barrie Hudson - 2 December 2024

Arts and CultureAttractions

The organisers of the Swindon Recital Series say music lovers should prepare to be mesmerised by the January concert.

Clarinettists Chris Gibbons and Rae Todd are set to weave a magical spell with some great 20th century composers.  

Poulenc’s sonata for clarinets was one of his last works before he died of a sudden heart attack in January 1963.  Marc Mellits’ Black is a very explosive and fun work, composed in a minimal style.   

Also on the programme are Kiraly Laszlo’s Hungarian Folk Songs, a Duo by Beethoven and pieces by Crusell and Richard Rodney Bennett.

A spokesperson for the series said: "Chris Gibbons is a clarinetist, conductor and educator based in Cardiff. Chris studied music at Cardiff University, before moving to Manchester to pursue clarinet performance at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM). 

"He graduated with a distinction in his MMus from the RNCM before returning to Cardiff to establish himself as a freelance musician. Chris was awarded a scholarship to undertake further study at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) where he gained a Post Graduate Diploma in Advanced Professional Practice, also with distinction. 

"Chris has worked with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera, Mahler Chamber Orchestra and London Sinfonietta, among others. 

"His freelance work has included concert performances alongside recording sessions for film and television. As a soloist, Chris has performed concertos with Royal Forest of Dean Orchestra and Capriol Chamber Orchestra. Chris is keenly interested in contemporary music, and played clarinet and saxophone for the touring production and filming of Robert Fokkens’ monodrama Bhekizizwe in 2022."

Chris is the Visiting Music Tutor for saxophone at Marlborough College in Wiltshire and teaches the clarinet and saxophone at QEH in Bristol and Wycliffe College in Gloucestershire. 

He is the Musical Director of Redland Wind Band and conducts the Bristol branch of CoMA, a nationwide organisation looking to promote and elevate contemporary classical music. 

 

Rae W. Todd is a freelance musician and independent researcher whose primary focus is on orchestral and chamber music-making. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Hull (2021) under the well-known musicologists Dr Elaine King and Dr Helen Prior. 

During his Ph.D. studies, he always had a drive to further his clarinet studies and went to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (2021-22) to study orchestral performance under Robert Plane, Thomas Verity, Timothy Lines and Lenny Sayers. 

Orchestral highlights include performing with the Welsh National Opera, Cardiff Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble Cambrica and the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra, while chamber ensemble performance highlights include performing with the renowned Berkeley Ensemble, Lincolnshire International Chamber Ensemble Music Festival, &Piano Music Festival and Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 

Chris and Rae will perform at the Wyvern Theatre on Wednesday January 29 at 1.05pm.  All adult tickets are £9 (including venue levy). Students aged 15-18 £3.50.  Accompanied children 14 and under will be admitted free.  

Information about the recital series can be found at www.swindonrecitalseries.org

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