Soloist

Victoria Soames Samek is one of the most exciting and versatile clarinettists playing in the UK today. Born of Czech and Hungarian parents, she performs internationally as a soloist, in duo recitals and in numerous chamber ensembles; notably ReedPlay, and FourSight, which is currently enjoying an Ensemble in Residence position at The Newham Academy in association with Newham.

Victoria Soames Samek studied the clarinet with Roger Fallows before winning a Foundation Scholarship to the Royal College of Music where her professors were Colin Bradbury and bass clarinet with Stephen Trier. She also studied with Anthony Pay. Whilst at The Royal College of Music she won the coveted Frederick Thurston Memorial Prize and gained her ARCM diploma with honours.

As well as performing clarinet music from the 18th and 19th centuries, her long-standing commitment to contemporary music has resulted in over thirty commissions and dedications from notable composers including Thea Musgrave, whose bass clarinet concerto she performed, broadcast for BBC radio 3 and subsequently recorded with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

With her great enthusiasm for the clarinet, in 1992 she launched the celebrated CD label Clarinet Classics, which has quickly established itself as a unique showcase for the clarinet in all its richness and diversity. Her own recordings for Clarinet Classics include the world première recording of Copland’s Clarinet Sonata, voted "most sheerly seductive record of the year" by the Sunday Times. She has also recorded for Hyperion and Meridian. Her first CD with The East Winds for Naxos, of wind chamber music, by Sir Malcolm Arnold including several World Premieres was released in 2007. In addition to her playing commitments Victoria is professor of clarinet at Trinity College, London and The Guildhall School of Music & Drama Junior School and Goldsmiths College, where she also teaches saxophone. Most recently she has been appointed professor of clarinet and saxophone at The Royal Military School of Music, a post she will start in January 2010.

Victoria Soames Samek is invited to participate in many workshops, master-classes and special clarinet and saxophone events and is Artistic Director of The Clarinet and Saxophone Performance Course.

Victoria Soames Samek is an official endorsee for Selmer (Paris) clarinets and Rico Reeds.