Barnaby Robson

Principal Clarinet English National Opera Orchestra

United Kingdom

The consistency in the strengths is outstanding - I must say that I've been increasingly frustrated by traditional reed manufacturers’ lack of consistency between the grades. With Légère you know exactly what you're getting straight out of the box.
Within a day or so I was using them on tour with the Philharmonic, including live radio broadcasts in some fairly challenging repertoire. The quality & consistency of sound is excellent and the way to use the reeds is slightly different from the 'traditional' approach in that they need to be rotated on a daily basis in order to avoid them becoming tired. But this works fine because of the consistency between the reeds - you really can't tell one from another!

Having studied clarinet, early clarinet and recorders at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, Barnaby went on to study as a Fulbright Scholar at the Julliard School in New York. Here, he won the School’s Concerto Prize, performing Copland’s Clarinet Concerto in a series of concerts at the Lincoln Centre. His subsequent Purcell Room debut as part of the Park Lane Group series was critically acclaimed.

Barnaby performed as principal clarinet of the Philharmonia Orchestra from 1998-2013 (appointed 2000). With this world class orchestra he played for conductors such as Esa-Pekka Salonen, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Sir Charles Mackerras and Riccardo Muti. He was also a member of the Soloists of the Philharmonia, performing recitals across the UK with regular appearances at London's Wigmore Hall and recording chamber repertoire including Messiaen's "Quartet for the End of Time" for Signum Classics. His playing can be heard on numerous Philharmonia CD's, broadcasts and film scores.