Performer of the Month: Kimon Parry
Kimon has been involved with the London Firebird Orchestra since its inception, playing a mixture of 1st and 2nd Clarinet. He talks about the orchestra with great affection:
“London Firebird has helped me tremendously – every project enables me to develop my skills as an orchestral player and consolidate my love for classical music. It has also been a great way to meet other musicians based in London.”
Kimon studied music at the Royal College of Music, London gaining a BMus followed by an MA at the Royal Academy of Music.
After graduating in 2011 he went on to become a Solo Artist on the Countess of Munster Recital Scheme, giving many recitals around the UK. He is now a freelance clarinettist and music teacher.
Kimon Parry
Kimon told us about some of the other orchestras he has played with:
“As a freelance player I feel very privileged to get invited to play with some of the leading orchestras in the UK. These have included the London Chamber Orchestra, the Philharmonia and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. I am also now playing with the Southbank Sinfonia.”
Kimon has also been on trial with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC Philharmonic.
In terms of chamber music he is a member of the Ellis Ensemble with pianist Belinda Jones and bassoonist Susanna Simma. Described by Southbank Sinfonia as an exceptional young trio they have quickly been building a reputation through their virtuosity, expressive playing and original repertoire.
Ellis Ensemble
To find out more about visit their website at: www.ellisensemble.com
We asked Kimon about some of his career highlights to date. He told us:
“One of my highlights was playing the Mozart Clarinet Concerto with Southbank Sinfonia. This concerto is a real treasure in the clarinet repertoire. I studied the work throughout my time at music college so to play the piece with an orchestra was an amazing experience.”
Kimon’s ambitions in music are straight forward and inclusive: to keep practicing, to continue to discover great music, and to pass on his musical knowledge to his students and audiences.
