ecent
concerts highlights include recording with the period orchestra Archangelo
for the record label Hyperion and making her debut with Britten Sinfona
at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in a production of Gerald Barry's
'The Importance of being Earnest'. As an orchestral musician Sarah has also
worked with the London Handel Orchestra and the New English Orchestra. Future
engagements include a tour to Spain with the Britten Sinfonia playing music
by Britten.
As a chamber musician and soloist, Sarah has performed throughout the UK and Europe. She has performed in many of the UK's most prestigious venues including the Barbican, the Royal Festival Hall, St Martin-in-the-Field and Kings Place. An active chamber musician Sarah is a founder member of the Siskin Trio with whom she has performed live on BBC Radio Ulster and Bulgarian national Television and Radio. Sarah is also a member of DeNOTE Wind, a chamber group specialising on period instruments, who in 2013 performed in the opening concert of the Canterbury Music Festival. Sarah is also passionate about musical outreach and has worked with many organisations including the London Symphony Orchestra Discovery team and the OAE Education team.
Born and educated in Belfast, Sarah attended the City of Belfast School of Music and was principal clarinet of the City of Belfast Youth Orchestra, the Ulster Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland. Sarah then went on to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she graduated receiving First Class Honours in her BMus (2011) and a Distinction in her MMus (2012). At the Guildhall Sarah studied with Andrew Mariner, Joy Farrall, Jane Booth and Andrew Webster. Sarah is extremely grateful to The Kathleen Trust and The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers for making her studies possible. Whilst at the Guildhall Sarah was selected as principal clarinettist of the Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra and had the privilege of working with great conductors such as Sir Colin Davis.
In 2007 she was the inaugural winner of the Bank of Ireland's Catherine Judge Memorial award. Sarah is also the recipient of a RPO Sir John Barbarolli Award, the English Speaking Union Menuhin Banff Scholarship and a Northern Ireland Arts Council travel bursary. In 2011 Sarah was selected as a participant for the prestigious LSO Wind Academy. In 2013 she was selected for the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment's Experience Scheme and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland's Young Musicians Platform Award. Sarah currently lives in London with her husband, composer Samuel Quartermaine Smith. Samuel has written a number of solo and chamber works for clarinet which Sarah has premiered.
