Robert Plane
“a highly accomplished, indeed commanding performance … with his bright, singing tone and effortless technical mastery, Plane leaves a stylish impression.” Gramophone on Robert’s Finzi recording
The family theme continues with Robert, who is married to Lucy Gould.
Since winning the Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition in London in 1992, Robert has pursued a versatile career as soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and orchestral principal.
As soloist, Robert has performed with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, the Ulster Orchestra, Bournemouth Sinfonietta, Scottish Ensemble, Northern Sinfonia and the Brunel Ensemble, and has also made many concerto appearances with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, where he has been principal clarinet since 1999. His performance of Rossini’s Introduction, Theme and Variations was broadcast live on BBC TV from the 2004 BBC Proms in the Park.
Robert has also appeared as guest principal with some of the world’s leading orchestras including the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.
Like the London Bridge Ensemble, Robert is passionate about championing British music. His CDs on the Naxos label of Finzi, Stanford, Howells and Bax have won a number of awards, his Finzi Concerto in particular gaining the Classic CD ‘Best Concerto Recording’ in 2000, a BBC Radio 3 Building a Library top recommendation and also achieving Gramophone’s Editor’s Choice recommendation. Robert has also recorded Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time, MacMillan’s Clarinet Quintet Tuireadh and Brahms’ Clarinet Trio and Quintet (both of which he plays with the London Bridge Ensemble at the Festival).
As a chamber musician, Robert is part of the Plane Dukes Rahman Trio and the septet mobius. Recent chamber music collaborations include performances and recordings with the Maggini Quartet and a USA tour with the Mandelring Quartet as well as many performances of the Messiaen Quartet with the Gould Piano Trio in the UK and in New York. In 2011, he returns to the USA with the Goulds for tours of the West Coast and Florida.
Together with Lucy and the Goulds, Robert has established a chamber music festival in Corbridge, Northumberland. He teaches clarinet at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.