Nigel Hinson 

Nigel began learning the clarinet with his father at the age of 11. At 18 he was the principal clarinettist at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall. Lessons with Paul Harvey and Alan Hacker led to a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London. There he studied with Georgina Dobree and Keith Puddy winning many prestigious prizes. He then went on to study for a Master's Degree in Performance and Composition with Colin Lawson at Sheffield University. He was elected a Member of the Royal Society of Musicians in 1995. In 2000 Nigel was awarded an ARAM for his services to clarinet playing by the Royal Academy. He has also recorded with Nick Oliver, Keith Puddy and Malcolm Martineau. 

Nigel has had many pieces written for him including  "Ballad in Memory Of Shirley Horn" by Sir Richard Rodney Bennett (2005) published by Novello, "Hinsong" by Paul Harvey and "Whaddya Want From Me?" by Paul Harvey published by Reedimensions.

Nigel is a regular soloist on Classic FM and BBC Radio 3, and is listed in the International Who's Who of Music and Musicians. He runs a successful music school in Nottingham and is regularly called upon to adjudicate competitions and festivals. He writes for several international musical journals. Nigel exclusively uses the Buffet clarinet of the late Artie Shaw since the acquisition of the instrument in 2005. This was Shaw's favourite clarinet, used in the late Gramercy 5 recordings of 1953-4. Nigel is one of the countries leading experts on Artie Shaw.