Clarinetist Emma Johnson at Beechwood Park School, Markyate

ACCLAIMED clarinetist Emma Johnson is putting on a recital at Beechwood Park School next Friday, February 1.

Headmaster of the Markyate school, Patrick Atkinson, said: “It is wonderful that such a leading performer, and winner of awards, including BBC Young Musician of the Year, who has been described by The Times as ‘Britain’s favourite clarinettist’ is coming to perform at Beechwood Park.”

Emma will be accompanied by pianist John Lenehan in a programme which will include works by Mozart, Weber, Schumann and Paul Reade’s award-winning Suite for clarinet and piano from The Victorian Kitchen Garden.

Emma is one of few clarinettists to have established a busy solo career which has taken her to major venues around the world.

She has appeared as soloist with many of the world’s leading orchestras in repertoire which includes all the major clarinet works as well as pieces written especially for her by John Dankworth, Will Todd and Michael Berkeley among others.

Emma is in great demand as a collaborative artist; tours have included performances with the Takacs and Con Tempo quartets, the pianists Pascal Rogé and John Lill, the cellist Julian Lloyd-Webber and sopranos Lesley Garrett and Elizabeth Watts.

A Patron of ClicSargent, the childhood cancer charity she was also the first woman to be made an Honorary Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge, and was awarded an MBE in 1996.

Tickets for the concert at Beechwood Park, which starts at 7pm, cost £15 and £7 for under 18s and full-time students.

Email l.peck@beechwoodpark.herts.sch.uk or phone 01582 840333 ext. 4.