Thurston, Frederick (John)
Thurston, Frederick (John)
Thurston, Frederick (John), English clarinetist and pedagogue; b. Lichfield, Sept. 21, 1901; d. London, Dec. 12, 1953. After initial training from his father, he was a student of Charles Draper in London. He played in several orchs. before serving as principal clarinetist in the BBC Sym. Orch. in London from 1930 to 1946. Thereafter he pursued a distinguished career as a soloist with orchs. and as a chamber music player. From 1930 he taught at the Royal Coll. of Music in London. Among his students was Thea King , who became his wife. With A. Frank he publ. The Clarinet (London, 1939). He was also the author of Clarinet Technique (London, 1956). In 1952 he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Thurston gave premiere performances of works by such composers as Bax, Bliss, Howells, Finzi, Ireland, and Rawsthorne.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire