Christopher King
When did you start learning an instrument?
I started learning an instrument first when I was 10 and I played the harmonica and then the recorder. When I was 12 I managed to borrow a clarinet from my uncle who was very keen on the instrument although the system that he used was very old fashioned and it wasn’t used for long but it got me started.
Who were your most important musical influences?
I listed to the radio and a few old 78’s that were lying around at the time when I was a child. Not many clarinet players funnily enough, but mostely singers or violinists, probably because there were very few clarinet recordings on 78’s available at that time, that I knew about anyway, but I have since discovered more.
What would you be if not a musician?
If I were not a musician I would probably be unemployed, I cannot imagine any other profession.
As a founder member of the Ulster Orchestra, what is your most memorable moment so far?
We did a Europen tour in 1986 in which we played in the Musikverein in Vienna with the conductor Tod Handley.
What’s the most interesting aspect of the clarinet?
The most interesting aspect of the clarinet is probably the ability to explore fantastic colours and nuances. There is a whole range of sounds and colours that the clarinet can produce and I’m still finding new sounds every day.
Most inspiring composer?
For me I would would say Bach, especially the Goldberg Variations. Orchestrally and musically it would have to be Mozart- he wrote superbly for the clarinet and I listened to Mozart lots when I was growing up.
How many instruments do you have?
I have 4 clarinets I have only just acquired another 2. You need two clarinets in the orchestra – one in A and one in B-flat. I have acquired a set of vintage 1920 clarinets by Martel of Paris that I will play on for the rest of my time because they are wonderful.
What’s in your cd player right now?
I don’t listen to many cd’s because I actually collect wax cylinders and that’s my hobby. So I listen to cylinders that are actually over 100 years old and I get great pleasure from this because somehow one seems to get right back into the soul of the person performing on them and it is absolutely fascinating. In fact I own a wax cylinder that my teacher's teacher made and he is performing on one of the instruments that I have just recently acquired!
What do you like to do outside of work?
I am interested in restoring old wind-up gramophones and gardening.