ABOUT ME | My Site

Performer

Lenny Sayers is an accomplished clarinet player and is currently Principal Bass Clarinet with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. His role in BBC NOW involves regularly playing principal and second clarinet as well as Basset Horn. Before joining the BBC NOW in October 2011 Lenny worked for ten years as a freelance clarinet player and teacher based in Manchester. Having worked for over two decades as a professional musician he has performed with many of the UK's leading orchestras and ensembles.
Lenny is an active chamber musician, and from 1999 to 2011 was a member of the Fell Clarinet Quartet with whom he performed throughout the UK and recorded two CDs. Since moving to Wales he has performed with Cardiff Winds and the Flourish Wind Quintet.

Teacher

Lenny teaches clarinet and bass clarinet at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. He also lectures in 'Outreach Skills' and 'Teaching Skills'. If you would like to arrange a consultation lesson with Lenny please contact him here.

Composer

Lenny composes music that is fun, entertaining, quirky and characterful. In 2022 he was commissioned to write a chamber opera for Swansea City Opera called ‘Shoulder to Shoulder’ - ‘real life stories of men overcoming loneliness and social isolation’. The first tour of Wales was a success and funding was granted for a second tour in Autumn 2023. Lenny has been working on various projects with the Welsh backlight theatre group Hummadruz since 2017 and their first full production, ‘When the Dragons Came Back to Wales’ was given funding for a tour in Autumn 2023.

In 2022 Lenny was commissioned to write a concert-opener ‘For the Dreamers of Dreams’ for the County of Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Youth Orchestra. He has twice participated in the BBC NOW’s ‘Composition: Wales’ project which has led to performances of four new works for the orchestra’s Family Concerts.

Lenny’s chamber music is published by Maskarade Publications. His many arrangements of Klezmer music have proved very popular with musicians and audiences and have been performed throughout the world. Two of his ‘Six Klezmer Miniatures’ are on the 2022-25 ABRSM Clarinet Grade 7 syllabus. His ‘Fantasy on Odessa Bulgar’ for clarinet ensemble was recorded by all the BBC clarinet players for their ‘Instrumental Sessions’ in 2020, as was his arrangement of Bach’s ‘Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring’ for the BBC oboists. His music has been recorded professionally by Duo Bayanello, the Fell Clarinet Quartet, Daniel's Beard, Intriplicate Trio and the Sterling Trio and been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, Radio Wales, Radio Cymru and Radio Scotland.

Education work

Education and Outreach work plays a very important part in Lenny’s life as a musician. As well as being actively involved in the outreach work of BBC NOW he has been a guest tutor at Wells Cathedral School, the Ulster Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Wales. Lenny worked for over a decade as a mentor, trainer and musician for Live Music Now and currently tutors on the ‘Outreach Skills’ and ‘Teaching Skills’ modules at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. From 2016-2018 he worked as a Creative Agent on the Arts Council of Wales Lead Creative Schools scheme.

Presenter/ Animateur

Lenny is becoming increasingly well known as a presenter and animateur. He has presented and devised the Family Concerts for the Penarth Chamber Music Festival since it began in 2013. He took his brand of fun and silly concerts to the Winchester Chamber Music Festival in 2022 and has also presented concerts for BBC NOW and the Corbridge Chamber Music Festival.