Katherine Spencer will be the OAE’s new principal clarinet. She succeeds Anthony Pay in the position.

Katherine is internationally renowned as both an orchestral and chamber musician. In addition to her work with the OAE, she appears regularly with ensembles such as the City of London Sinfonia, Gabrieli Consort, the Irish Chamber Orchestra, and the Galliard Ensemble and was a BBC Young Generation Artist. She was the then-youngest ever finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year when she was just 12: ask Beany, her mascot – she’s still resentful that she finished fourth, especially as the winner wore a sailor’s outfit. And if it weren’t for Elton John, she would have played at Princess Diana’s funeral… we’re not saying she’s still bitter about that, either, but he’s a banned musician in her house.

Katherine’s approach to performance is that she chooses to use music to serve. She cares greatly about the OAE’s participation programme, routinely working on projects with the OAE’s Education department in mainstream and special needs schools, and frequently bringing music to dementia patients, believing that music offers unique and increasingly-valued therapeutic respite.