King, Thea
King, Thea
King, Thea, English clarinetist and teacher; b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire, Dec. 26, 1925. She studied clarinet at the Royal Coll. of Music in London (1943–47) with Frederick Thurston, whom she married in 1953. She played in the Sadler’s Wells Orch. (1950–52), Portia Wind Ensemble (1955–68), London Mozart Players (1956–84), English Chamber Orch. (from 1964), Melos Ensemble (from 1974), and Robles Ensemble (from 1983); also made appearances as a soloist and recitalist. From 1961 to 1987 she was a prof, at the Royal Coll. of Music, and from 1988 at the Guildhall School of Music in London. In 1985 she was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. She has performed many works by contemporary British composers and has also resuscltated numerous scores of the past.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire