Neyire Ashworth

Biography

Neyire Ashworth “a clarinettist of terrific character and imagination” (Financial Times), pursues a versatile career as clarinet soloist and chamber musician, with a focus on small-scale contemporary music theatre and multi-disciplinary performance.

As a young musician Neyire played with the National Youth Orchestra of GB and was prize-winner in woodwind finals of BBC Young Musician of the Year competition. Neyire was music director and performer with the Besht Tellers, a Jewish storytelling theatre company, during which time she honed extra skills as improviser, performer and klezmer (Jewish folk music) musician. Her chamber group Zimro was formed out of her keen interest in chamber music with a folk music influence.  With the Britten-Pears Ensemble she appeared at the Aldeburgh Festival & Wigmore Hall, on BBC Radio 3 and toured the USA . They worked closely with composer Sir Richard Rodney Bennett. With the clarinet quartet No Strings Attached (First Prize Royal Overseas League Chamber Music competition & prize-winners Gaudeamus International Contemporary Music competition, The Netherlands) she regularly toured internationally, performing and running workshops for the British Council. They were at the forefront of pioneering creative work in UK prisons.

Currently Neyire plays with the New London Chamber Ensemble who regularly commission new works and have an extensive recording output including a critically acclaimed recording of the wind chamber music of Carl Nielsen, also albums of music by UK composers Ailis ni Riain, John Woolrich, Martin Butler, Lennox Berkeley, Philip Cashian & Julian Phillips (Meridian, NMC and Naxos). Most recently they have collaborated on performances with the actor Simon Callow and iconic percussionist Evelyn Glennie. 

As clarinet soloist, Neyire has toured Europe with the White Oak Dance Company playing the Mozart Concerto K622 for Mikhail Baryshnikov and has recorded the concerto for clarinet and birds by film composer Brian Locke. As multi-disciplinary performer, Neyire has written music for many theatre shows and won Best Performer Award and was nominated for Best New Writing Award from Buxton Fringe Festival for her music-storytelling show Stolen Voices. Her instrumental solo theatre piece Stenclmusic, inspired by characters from the Jewish community in Brick Lane was awarded a European Association of Jewish Culture Award. A collaboration with composer Susie Self on a new work for clarinettist/performer and non-binary voice had its world premiere in London in 2022.

Neyire is also a dedicated teacher and coach and is professor of clarinet at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama Juniors.