Schools Prom Personalities Nicholas Daniel, Guest musician, was born in 1962. He first took up music singing in a church choir and then the piano at the age of seven. In 1972 he became a chorister at Salisbury Cathedral where he started to learn the oboe under Irene Pragnell. In 1975 he became a student at The Purcell School in Harrow. Whilst at The Purcell School he studied the oboe first with Sophia McKenna, next George Caird and then Janet Craxton, and was awarded a Gold medal for the highest marks in the country for the Associated Board Grade VIII examination.
In January 1984 Nicholas Daniel and Julius Drake gave their London debut recital at The Purcell Room, of which the Daily Telegraph wrote: ' ... the outstanding young oboist Nicholas Daniel who in a programme rich in unfamiliar yet rewarding items showed a remarkable technical adroitness, catholicity of taste and expressive insight.'
Emma was 18 last May while in Geneva representing Britain in the European Young Musician of the Year Competition where she won the Bronze Award, playing with the Orchestra of the Suisse Romande conducted by Horst Stein for an audience of over 20 million television viewers.
In 1980 Nicholas Daniel won the BBC 'Young Musician of the Year' competition and as a result of this he was offered solo and recital engagements all over Great Britain, playing with many of the most famous British orchestras. On leaving school Nicholas attended The Royal Academy of Music continuing his studies under Janet Craxton, until her sudden death, and then under Celia Nicklin.
Emma has been studying the clarinet since she was 9 years old with John Brightwell and also studies with Sidney Fell of the Royal College of Music.. She has been a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, and won various cups and awards for her playing.
In 1982 Nicholas performed Michae1 Beikeley's Oboe Concerto at the Queen Elizabeth HaU, London with the Southern Pro Arte Orchestra, and gave the first performance of Robert Spearing's Oboe Concerto which was written for him.
Since becoming 'Young Musician of the Year' she has had many professional engagements including: a concert for Radio 2 with the BBC Radio Orchestra broadcast live from the Royal Festival Hall, a solo
Nicholas Daniel
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Emma Johnson, Guest musician, the 1984 BBC Television 'Young Musician of the Year', achieved a great popular success with her pe.rformance of a previously little known work, Crusell's Garinet Concerto in F Minor, which she played with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Bryden Thomson.
Emma Johnson