"beautiful playing" Sir Simon Rattle
"the perfect sound" Jack Brymer
Neil Aston studied at Lancaster University with Lynne Racz of the Manchester Camerata, graduating with the Director of Music Prize. He subsequently went on to study clarinet with Janet Hilton and Colin Parr at Birmingham Conservatoire.
As a soloist Neil has regularly performed concerti with the Beauchamp Sinfonietta, the Charnwood Orchestra, the Worcester Philharmonic and Spires Philharmonic and has given many recitals throughout the country including the Purcell Room on London's South Bank, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral and Kew Music Society.
As a chamber musician he has performed with the Coull Quartet and regularly joins with musicians from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. He performs trio recitals with either soprano, violin or cello and piano. Until 2020 Neil was a member of the highly successful quintet Serenata Winds, with whom he regularly broadcast for BBC Songs of Praise.
As an orchestral musician Neil has worked with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra da Camera, Armonico Consort, Spires Philharmonic and ias principal clarinet with the British Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.