Clarion214, the innovative Australian contemporary clarinet quartet, is committed to exploring and showcasing new Australian repertoire. Currently featuring some of the most versatile and experienced clarinetists in Melbourne, Clarion214 is focused on reaching new audiences, performing on the concert stage, in historic houses, stylish inner city bars and modern art galleries.
Richard Mason – Clarinet/ Bass Clarinet
Robert Schubert – Clarinet/Basset Horn
Andrew Seymour – Clarinet/ Eb Clarinet
Ashley Sutherland – Clarinet/ Eb Clarinet
Richard Mason graduated from The Victorian College of the Arts in 1995, later returning to complete a Master’s degree in clarinet and bass clarinet in 2005. While undertaking his Master’s degree he was awarded the Willem van Otterloo Scholarship, sponsored by the Erasmus Foundation which enabled him to study in Amsterdam with Harry Sparnaay. Richard is currently studying for a PhD at the Faculty of Music, The University of Melbourne supported by the Ormond Exhibition and a Melbourne Research Scholarship.
Richard’s professional performing experience encompasses many diverse musical styles including jazz, orchestral music and avant-garde art music gained through time spent playing with professional ensembles including The Academy of Melbourne and Australian Defence Force bands. He specializes in contemporary Australian music and has premièred works by leading composers including Stuart Greenbaum, Paul Stanhope and Mark Pollard. Richard has appeared in a number of festivals including the Melbourne International Festival and in broadcasts for ABC FM and 3MBS.
Richard is highly active as an educator at secondary and tertiary level having taught at Lowther Hall Anglican Girls Grammar School, Xavier College, Melbourne and the Victorian College of the Arts as a sessionallecturer in aural studies, ensemble and bass clarinet. He also consulted on the design of the Victorian Certificate of Education, Clarinet and Bass Clarinet Solo Performance syllabuses, introduced in 2005 and frequently presents master classes for students focusing on performanceand VCE repertoire.
Robert Schubert is Lecturer in Woodwind at the Victorian College of the Arts. He studied clarinet with James Campbell at the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, Canada and with James Morton (Principal Clarinet, National Arts Orchestra of Canada) from 1983 to 1984, and then with Larry Combs (Principal Clarinet, Chicago Symphony Orchestra). In 1988 Hiroyuki Iwaki appointed him Principal Clarinet with the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa, Japan, a position he held until his return to Australia in 1996.
Robert appeared frequently as soloist with Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa and has recorded on the Deutsche Gramophone, Victor and Sony labels. Also during this time in Japan, he performed as guest clarinetist with the NHK Orchestra in Tokyo and was guest principal clarinet with the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra. In 1991, Robert was a finalist in the Tokyo International Clarinet Competition.
Since returning to Australia, Robert has performed with the Melbourne Symphony, Orchestra Victoria, in the Melbourne International Festival and in live broadcasts for the ABC. An interest in contemporary music has led to composers including Mark Pollard, Julian Yu, Chan Hae Lee, Tetsuya Nishibe and Peter Tahourdin composing works for him, many of which have been recorded and broadcast by ABC Classic FM.
In 2008 Robert qualified as a teacher of the Alexander Technique which, alongside the pedagogy of the late Arnold Jacobs (Chicago Symphony Tubist), is a major influence in his performing and teaching.
Andrew Seymour completed his Bachelor of Music Performance degree at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2001, studying with Robert Schubert. In 2003, Andrew was a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra and in 2005 participated in the AYO Orchestral Development Program run in conjunction with the Tasmanian Symphony. Since then he has regularly been engaged as a casual player with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and has worked as guest principal on numerous occasions. Andrew has also worked with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and is a busy freelance player in his hometown of Melbourne. He worked in the musicals Phantom of the Opera and Dr Zhivago and since 2009 has been a member of the orchestra for Opera Australia’s regional touring company OzOpera.
Ashley Sutherland is a founding member of Clarion214 and completed both undergraduate and Masters degrees in Performance at the Victorian College of the Arts, where she specialized on both modern and historical clarinets.
Ashley has extensive orchestral experience as a freelance clarinetist playing both period and modern instruments with the Melbourne Symphony, the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Pinchgut Opera, the Australian Pops Orchestra and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Ashley has also broadcast on the Sunday Live and Young Australia programs on ABC FM.
In addition to her busy performing career, she has taught clarinet at various schools in Melbourne including Our Lady of Sion College, Caulfield Grammar and Scotch College.