Jasper Perry graduated with First Class Honours in clarinet performance from the Royal College of Music and is currently pursuing a Master of Performance degree at the same institution. Jasper is deeply grateful for the generous support of the Charlotte Fraser Foundation and as a recipient of the Wilkins-Mackerras Award. He has performed extensively across the UK including the Barbican Centre, Royal Festival Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Snape Maltings, Bridgewater Hall, and the Sheldonian Theatre.
Jasper holds the position of second clarinet with the London Firebird Orchestra, performing symphonic works at St George’s, Hanover Square, and regularly collaborates with the Ibiza Orchestra Symphonica. Before beginning his studies, he performed with the National Youth Wind Orchestra, touring the UK and Switzerland, and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, with highlights including performing Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand at the BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall.
As a soloist, Jasper has participated in masterclasses with world-renowned professionals, including Maximiliano Martín and Anthony McGill. His chamber music experience is equally rich, encompassing wind quintets, trios, and clarinet quintets. Notable performances include Brahms’ and Mozart’s Clarinet Quintets, the latter in a masterclass led by Robert Plane.
Kumi Matsuo is a versatile solo pianist, chamber musician and accompanist. She has won numerous competitions including First Prize in the 6th Isidor Bajic Memorial Piano Competition in Serbia and First Prize in the 5th Louisiana International Piano Competition, USA. She is now on the staff at RCM, working as Duo Coach to the String Faculty, as well as accompanying other instruments.
Kumi studied at the Toho Gakuen College of Music, Tokyo, and then at the Royal College of Music (RCM), London and completed her studies there with Artist Diploma and Master of Music in Performance with Distinction. She has also finished the Anthony Saltmarsh Junior Fellow in Accompaniment. Her study was generously supported by Charles Napper Award, the Russell Gander Award and the Rohm Music Foundation.
During her study at RCM, Kumi won RCM concerto competition twice and performed Ravel’s Piano Concerto for Left Hand with RCM Sinfonietta and Prokofiev’s 3rd Piano Concerto with RCM Symphony Orchestra. She also played Schnittke’s Concerto Grosso No.1 with RCM Chamber Orchestra.
As soloist and chamber musician Kumi has played extensively in the UK and abroad, performing at venues including Wigmore Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Cadogan Hall, Windsor Castle, Elgar Room (Royal Albert Hall), Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall, Royal Baths Park (Poland), Dubai Opera (Studio), Tokyo Opera City Hall, Tokyo Bunka Kaikan and Kioi Hall.
