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Sarah Watts

About Me

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My biography
Sarah Watts studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Angela Malsbury and Victoria Soames Samek (bass clarinet). Sarah then decided to specialise in the bass clarinet and studied at the Rotterdam Conservatorium on the postgraduate solo bass clarinet course with Henri Bok, funded by the Countess of Munster Musical Trust and in 2002 a Leverhulme Trust Studentship. At the end of her course in Rotterdam Sarah was awarded the Exxon prize for the best classical music student.
Successes include: Winner, UK Howarth Clarinet Competition 2000; Winner, Hawkes Clarinet Prize (RAM) 2001; Winner, Sir Arthur Bliss Chamber Music Prize (RAM) 2000; Winner of wind section and Faber Prize, UK Performing Australian Music competition, 2001 (her clarinet and bass clarinet recital was broadcast on ABC radio); Finalist, Wind section, Royal Overseas League Competition 2000.
Sarah has performed clarinet concertos with the Royal Academy of Music Sinfonia, European Union Youth Wind Orchestra and the Nottingham Orchestra of the Restoration. Sarah now specialises on the bass clarinet with the intention of increasing it’s popularity as a solo instrument, she has performed solo repertoire in England, Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands and has attracted composers such as Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Marc Yeats, Ian Wilson, Kevin O Connell, Alicia Grant and Sungji Hong to write works for her. In January 2003, Sarah performed a solo bass clarinet recital in London’s Purcell Room as part of the Park Lane Group Young Artist Series.
Sarah has taken bass clarinet repertoire classes and composition workshops at the Royal Academy of Music, Trinity College of Music, Royal Irish Academy of Music, Royal Welsh College of Music and Keele University. Sarah is an artist on the Live Music Now Scheme and also performs regularly with Nottingham based pianist Antony Clare in their duo SCAW, Rarescale and the Southwell Collective. Sarah was also a founder member of the World Bass Clarinet Foundation and an organiser for the First World Bass Clarinet Convention in Holland in October 2005.
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My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 29/12/2006
Band Website: sarahkwatts.co.uk
Band Members: SCAW established their duo partnership in 2003. Sarah Watts (bass clarinet) and Antony Clare (piano) have built up a specialist repertoire of bass clarinet and piano music from all over the world.
SCAW˜ are especially interested in promoting the works of British composers with works by Joe Cutler, Graham Fitkin, Dai Fujikura, Timothy Salter and Marc Yeats.
They have done UK premieres of many works and have performed solo recitals in venues around the UK including performances in Haverhill, The Isle of Skye and Nottingham.
SCAW performed as guest artists at the 2005 World Bass Clarinet Convention in Rotterdam, Holland.
In addition to their collection of bass clarinet and piano repertoire SCAW also have repertoire for bass clarinet and harpsichord and also repertoire that requires the use of electronics. SCAW are also very interested in working with composers on new works and advising on contemporary techniques for their instruments.
SCAW have released their first album called SCAWFELL of bass clarinet and piano recital music on the clarinet classics label. The CD features Arvo Part's Spiegel in Spiegel arranged for bass clarinet by Sarah and Antony's composition Scawfell. Other works on the CD include repertoire by Eugene Bozza, Joe Cutler, Paul Termos and Wolfgang Gabriel.
SCAW are currently arranging concerts featuring works from Scawfell and will also be premiering a number of new pieces in 2009.

Influences: I am a solo artist.
Musicians and organisations I have worked with:
Marc Yeats: composer: marc-yeats.co.uk
or myspace.com/marcyeats
Natalie Raybould: soprano: natalieraybould.co.uk
or myspace.com/vintagediva_nat
Carla Rees: Alto flute (flutes): rarescale.org.uk
and also carlareesdawson.co.uk
Sarah Watts: Bass clarinet: sarahkwatts.co.uk
Rarescale: (ensemble) rarescale.org.uk
Sarah Nicolls: pianist: sarahnicolls.com

Sounds Like: What other's have said about my playing:
“Sarah Watts has carved an unusual niche for herself as a bass clarinet player and brought a warm tone and sterling musicianship to bear on Donatoni’s Soft and Cornelius Cardew’s Mountains. Marc Yeats’s Vox went further demanding a full repertoire of voices: plangent moans, beseeching cries and terrifying yelps.”
Evening Standard.
“ In 26 years of attending PLG events I cannot recall hearing a solo bass clarinettist before. But Sarah Watts, almost dwarfed by her instrument made the wait worthwhile with assured and well-characterised performances of music by a rogues’ gallery of 20th Century mavericks”
The Times.
“Sarah Watts-whose technical command and sheer chutzpah can be in no doubt after performing 3 consecutive unaccompanied works, each of 20 minutes duration”
The Independent.
“Watts- was at her best in Cornelius Cardew’s Mountains, an eccentric amalgam of Bach and Chairman Mao.”
The Guardian.
“ In her programme notes Sarah writes: “Ladder of Escape (Michael Smetanin) is simply happy disco music!!!” But Ms Watts is no Disco Queen- more like a rock star. Watch out Elvis…”
Clarinet and Saxophone Society.
“Queen of the bass clarinet. Sarah Watts is fast becoming a leading champion of the bass clarinet. This one-woman show was a festival in itself.”
Nottingham Evening Post

Record Label: Clarinet Classics www.clarinetclassics.com

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