Clarinet and Piano Duet

Featuring father and son, Patrick and Nic Saunders, performing a programme of music for piano and clarinet ranging from Mozart to Glass by way of Faure, Moszkovski, Gershwin and Piazzola.

Patrick Saunders
Was born in Winchester to a musical family. He began musical life on the violin at 5 years old. Moving onto clarinet at 15 he joined the army band of the 9/12th Royal Lancers and studied at Kneller Hall in London. After a number of years service around the world he moved back to London studying at the Royal Academy of Music with renowned teachers and performers John Davies and Jack Brymer.

Patrick then worked with major London orchestras particularly holding the clarinettist's chair of the London Concert Orchestra for a period of 21 years. As an orchestral musician Patrick played at many of the largest concert halls in the UK in prestigious programmes with the Bolshoi Ballet, James Galway and Edward Heath to name but a few.

As a soloist he was once reviewed as “one of this country's principal clarinettists”.
For the last 30 years Patrick has been resident in Cornwall working with Duchy Opera and Ballet as well as being principle clarinet in the Plymouth Symphony Orchestra. At 86 he still continues to enjoy a varied musical life on the Chamber music scene forming the Force Five Wind Quintet and the Estuary Three along with his wife and singer Barbara Shaw.

Nic Saunders
Studied at the Royal College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London with the prestigious teachers James Gibb and Edith Vogel. He is an Associate of the GSMD and was recipient of the Edith Vogel Prize in 1990.

He has worked for many years in the performing world as a concert pianist and also a jazz musician, playing with some of the most eminent figures in the music world today. His love of many genres has lead to many varied performances in the classical, contemporary and jazz worlds.

As a composer Nic has also produced 3 albums of solo piano pieces and also written scores for a number of films. His contemporary jazz group, RhythmEarth Electric Trio, are currently working on their second album. Nic has been running the 20/20JAZZ clubs on the south coast since 2015 performing with many of the biggest names in jazz.