About Linda Merrick...
For easier navigation this section has been split into three parts, click on the subheadings to open the relevant pages.
Profile: A general overview of of my interests and professional performance work to date and the professional bodies of which I am a member.
Employment: Positions held; past and present.
Performance: Performance history including recordings, broadcasts, commissioned works and freelance work.
Click here to download my programme note (in Microsoft Word format)
Performance...
Linda Merrick has been a freelance solo clarinettist since 1981. Her experience includes solo and chamber music performances, recordings and broadcasts across the UK and mainland Europe, working with (among others) the pianists Benjamin Frith, Philip Mead and Julian Hellaby, the Edinburgh, Kreutzer and Navarra Quartets, the contemporary ensemble ‘Sounds Positive’ (of which she is a founder-member), and the music technologist, Chris Thorpe. This work has led to over 14 solo CD's, broadcasts for Radio 3, Radio France and Radio DRS1 (Switzerland), the commission of over 35 new solo/chamber works, and a host of concerto and recital performances in the UK, mainland Europe, America, Australia, Canada and the Middle East.
Recordings
Stephen McNeff ‘Image in Stone’ (Clarinet Concerto)
Linda Merrick – clarinet
RNCM Wind Orchestra
Campion/ASC, 2008
John McLeod Clarinet Concerto
Linda Merrick – clarinet
RNCM Symphony Orchestra
Chandos, 2007
Edwin Roxburgh 'Saturn' (clarinet concerto)
Linda Merrick - clarinet
RNCM Symphony Orchestra
NMC Recordings ,2006
Malcolm Arnold ‘Bright Jewels’ (Sonatina, Scherzetto & Beauty Haunts the Woods)
Linda Merrick - clarinet
Julian Hellaby & Peter Noke – piano, Laurie Ashworth – soprano
MSV, 2006
Martin Ellerby ‘The Cries of London’ (Clarinet Concerto, 2nd recording)
Linda Merrick - clarinet
Regimental Band of Her Majesty’s Coldstream Guards
SRC, 2005
Philip Sparke Concerto
Linda Merrick – clarinet
Rundfunk Blasorkester Leipzig
Anglo Records, 2003
Wilfred Josephs Clarinet
Quintet & Clarinet Sonatas
Linda Merrick - clarinet
Kreutzer Quartet, Benjamin Frith, piano
Metier, 2002
Concerti for Clarinet
&
Concert Band (Nigel Clarke, Martin Ellerby, Kit Turnbull, Guy Woolfenden)
Linda Merrick
- clarinet
RNCM Wind Orchestra, conducted by
James Gourlay & Guy Woolfenden
Polyphonic, 2000
'The Hemlock Stone'
Linda Merrick - clarinets
Chris Thorpe – computers
ClassicPrint, 1999
'New York Counterpoint'
Linda Merrick - clarinets
Chris Thorpe - electronics
Serendipity/Classicprint, 1996/98
The Music of
John Lambert
Sounds Positive
NMC, 1993
'Collage' (British Chamber Music)
Linda Merrick - clarinet, Benjamin
Frith - piano
Serendipity/Classicprint, 1992/99
Martin Ellerby
Chamber Music
Linda Merrick - clarinet, Benjamin
Frith - piano
Serendipity, 1990
Full details of Linda Merrick's CD's can
be found in the Discography section
Forthcoming CD releases
Four new British Clarinet Quintets by Nigel Clarke, Martin Ellerby, Edwin Roxburgh and Kit Turnbull with the Navarra Quartet
Philip Spratley’s Clarinet Concertino ‘Byard’s Leap’ with Manchester Chamber Orchestra
Robert Crawford’s Clarinet Quintet with the Edinburgh String Quartet
Radio Broadcasts
BBC Radio 3
Finzi - Five Bagatelles
McCabe - Three Pieces
Linda Merrick - clarinet
Andrew Wilkinson - piano
1986/1989
Josephs - Sonata no.2
Stanford - Sonata
Stanford - Three Intermezzi
Linda Merrick - clarinet
Benjamin Frith - piano
1992/1994
Overseas
Radio France
Vaggione – Phases
Linda Merrick-clarinet, Philip Mead-piano
Horacio Vaggione-sound diffusion
2001
Radio DRS1-Switzerland
Ellerby –
Clarinet Concerto
Linda Merrick-clarinet
Birmingham Conservatoire Wind Orchestra
Conducted – Guy Woolfenden
2001
Commissioned Solo Works (including details of premiere)
Avril Anderson
Hammer & Tongue
- WCMD, 1999
Deadwood - Reading University, 1995
Rest Assured - Belgium, 1999
Nigel Clarke
The Hemlock Stone
- Birmingham Conservatoir,e 1998
The Devil and The Hemlock Stone - Belgium,
1999
Battles and Chants (Concerto), RAM 2000, CBSO Centre, 2000
Equiano (clarinet quintet), RNCM, 2009
Michael Csanyi-Wills
Glass Time
Stockholm, 2002
Martin Ellerby
Clarinet Sonata - Manchester Midday Concerts, 1984
Epitaph I: Souviens-Toi (Oradour-sur-Glane) - Purcell Room, London, 1986
Vocalise - Warwick Arts Festival, 1991
Clarinet Concerto - Gateway Arts Centre, 2000
Epitaph VII: Memento (Terezin) clarinet quintet, RNCM 2009
Howard Goodall
Letter to Perpetua - Stockholm, 2002
Joseph Horovitz
Diversions - Wigmore
Hall, 1998
(UK premiere of clarinet and piano version)
John McLeod
Clarinet Concerto-Perth, 2005
Stephen McNeff
Clarinet Concerto - Finland, 2005
Michael Oliva
Ultramarine-Colourscape Festival London, 2001
Edwin Roxburgh
Wordsworth Miniatures (recording, 1998)
Clarinet Quintet, RNCM, 2009
Rhian Samuel
Stepping Out - Derby Guildhall, 1997
(commissioned by Linda Merrick: 2nd UK performance)
Philip Sparke
Concerto- Manchester, 2003
Andrew Stamatakis-Brown
Birdspotting - Eastman School of Music, USA, 2003
Trainspotting - Queensland Conservatoire, Australia, 2004
Richard Stoker
Partita - Purcell Room, London, 1985
David Sutton-Anderson
Chant with Drone - Birmingham Conservatoire, 1998
Chris Thorpe
Time Travel - Birmingham Conservatoire, 1998
Begin - London College of Music, 1999
Kit Turnbull
African Dances (concerto) - CBSO Centre, Birmingham, 1999
Nightwalker - Stockholm, 2002
Three Cautionary Tales (clarinet quintet)- RNCM, 2009
Horacio Vaggione
Phases - Salle Olivier Messiaen, Paris, 2001
Queens University, Belfast ,2001
Commissioned Electroacoustic Works
Linda has commissioned new repertoire for clarinet and electronics from the following composers:
Avril Anderson, Nigel Clarke, Michael Csanyi-Wills, Howard Goodall, Michael Oliva, David Sutton-Anderson, Chris Thorpe, Kit Turnbull and Horacio Vaggione (see full listings above)
Work with Sounds Positive (1987-)
Performance Work includes:
- Annual concert series in London at the Purcell Room, St. John’s Smith Square & The Warehouse
- Festival appearances across the UK and abroad
- Regular collaborative work with London Contemporary Dance Theatre
- Commission of over 75 new works by British composers
- CD - Chamber Music of John Lambert, NMC (see catalogue of recordings above)
- ‘Purcell Perspectives’ - Concert series of new commissions inspired by Purcell, 1995/96
- ‘Series 10’ - Concert series to celebrate 10th anniversary of the ensemble at St.John’s Smith Square, 1998
Educational Work includes:
- Workshops at Conservatoires and Universities across the UK
- Featured ensemble for PRS Composers in Education 1997 and Nettlefold Festival Projects 1995-97
- Collaborative work and residency with The Young Place Dance Company 1994 -
- SPNM workshops 1998/99 and 1999/00
Adjudication
Includes the following:
- Yamaha Foundation of Europe Scholarships (woodwind final)
- Performing Australian Music
- Howarth Clarinet Prize
- Cassel Prize Final (RMSM)
- Hertfordshire Young Musician of the Year
- Various festivals as part of the BFMS
