Anthony Pike was born in Seoul, Korea, and studied the clarinet with Julian Farrell in London, Robert Marcellus in Chicago and Dame Thea King At the Royal College of Music. Anthony is the principal clarinet with the English Chamber Orchestra (E.C.O.), and has performed concertos with them extensively.
He has also appeared as guest principal with most of the British orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Chamber music collaborators have included Christian Zacharias, Ralph Gothóni, Joachim Trio, Medici and Tippet Quartets and E.C.O. Ensemble.
He is regularly invited, as chamber musician and soloist, to appear at international festivals which have included Edinburgh, Johannesburg, Nordland, Hong Kong and Bermuda.
Despite reading Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Magdalen College, Oxford, Anthony gradually became more absorbed with playing the clarinet. The National Federation of Music Societies ‘Young Artist’ award provided a springboard for his recital career, and he made his Wigmore Hall debut in 1994. Concerto appearances at the Royal Festival Hall, Barbican, Cadogan Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall followed.
Anthony’s discography includes Mozart Concerto for Basset Clarinet with Ralph Gothóni and the E.C.O., the complete works for clarinet and piano by Max Reger (Martin Jones, piano), the entire 2000-2003 Associated Board syllabus for clarinet, Vaughan Williams Six Studies in English Folksong and early Quintet (John Lenehan, piano), and Copland Clarinet Sextet. Studio soundtrack recordings include Harry Potter, James Bond and Shrek amongst many others. He played the theme music for the ‘Lewis’ television series. The Oscar winning score to Atonement uses his solo clarinet in a particularly haunting way.
Anthony is also a sought after and experienced teacher. He was a Professor of
Clarinet at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama between 1997 and 2003,
and currently teaches at Trinity Laban Conservatoire. He plays on Selmer Recital
clarinets.