KING, Thea

Dame Thea King was a renowned English clarinettist rather than a composer, though she was a major champion of British musical works and contemporary compositions.
Profession: Clarinet soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player.
Life: Born December 26, 1925; died June 26, 2007.
Career Highlights: Served as a professor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Royal College of Music in London, and was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2001.
Recordings: Known for extensive recordings on the Hyperion Records label, championing 20th-century British music and lesser-known 19th-century clarinet repertoire.