This event is available to Young Musician’s Pass members. Booking opens at 12noon on 19 May and closes 5pm on 30 June. Tickets are likely to sell fast so don't wait.

A virtuoso clarinettist with a ‘glittering composing career’ (The Arts Desk), Mark Simpson is joined on stage by Richard Uttley, Piano Professor at the Royal College of Music. Together, they perform a selection of Simpson’s own compositions alongside works by Brahms.

Since becoming the first-ever winner of both the BBC Young Musician of the Year and BBC Proms/Guardian Young Composer of the Year competitions in 2006, Simpson has forged a dual career, championing new music while delivering insightful, nuanced interpretations of the clarinet repertoire. Uttley is celebrated for the integrity and breadth of his musicianship as a soloist, chamber musician and recording artist.

Simpson’s performances of Brahms have been praised for their ‘real sense of shape and flow’ and ‘cathartic’ emotion (The Guardian), qualities that will bring out the warmth and richness of Brahms’s contemplative music.

What to expect at The Queen's Hall

These focused morning concerts are the perfect way to start your Festival day. Tune out the outside world for a deep listening experience.

At The Queen’s Hall you can expect a very quiet concert environment, make sure your phone is off!