MARTIN POWELL 

clarinet

martin@talents.co.uk

"...his musicianship shone through" Music & Musicians

"..this was a truly amazing display of virtuosity" 
Clarinet and Saxophone Society

"Martin Powell is a clarinettist who plays with an extraordinary technical competence and quality of tone." CASS

At the Academy Martin made an immediate impression, being highly commended in the Geoffrey Hawkes Clarinet prize in his first term of study, unusual for a first year student. In 1983 he went on to be the first clarinettist to win both the Hawkes clarinet prize and the John Solomon wind soloist prize in the same year. Also winning a major award from the Ian Fleming Trust, being placed first and second in the Nicholas Blake ensemble prize and being awarded the Leslie Martin Scholarship for Clarinet playing. 

In his study of the clarinet Martin has had lessons with Bill Ducker, Georgina Dobree, Richard Addison, Guy Deplus, Thea King, David Campbell, and masterclasses with Tony Pay Alan Hacker and Karl Leister. Martin Powell first came to international recognition as a prize winner in the International Clarinet Congress Competition in London in 1984. Since when he has gone on to perform in Germany, Austria, France, Italy and Spain. 

His clarinet playing has brought him the attention of many composers. Both Peter Heron and Wilfred Josephs have written pieces specifically for him. Wilfred has written two clarinet sonatas for Martin, the two sonatas given world premieres at St. Johns Smith Square, and the Harrogate International Music festival. Peter's " Soundbites " being premiered at the Purcell Room on the South Bank in September 1996. Other first performances of works by Joseph Horovitz, Mark Andrews, Barton Armstrong, David Llewelyn Green, Christopher Steel and Marjoijn Anstey. In 1999 he was a finalist of the Haverhill Sinfonia Soloist Competition. 

Martin has performed many concertos internationally and at home at the Bridgewater Hall - Manchester , Symphony Hall - Birmingham, Colston Hall - Bristol , The South Bank -London etc. He has also recorded the music of Debussy, Poulenc, Stravinsky, Giampieri, Josephs, Saint-Saens, Messager and Rimsky-Korsakov. 

As a committed Christian, Martin has dedicated all of his music to God.