John

Clarence

Torbjörn

Chris

hSi

Until a serious car accident in 1995, Clarence Adoo was sub-principal trumpet with the Northern Sinfonia.
His career as a musician, following his graduation from The Royal College of Music in London, spans two decades during which time he has worked in all forms of music - from pop and jazz, to classical. He worked for a time with Courtney Pine and the Jazz Warriors, and in several West End shows, and has also free-lanced for many orchestras including Scottish Opera, City of London Sinfonia, London Sinfonietta, Bournemouth Sinfonietta and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

Today, despite his accident which has left him paralysed from the shoulders down, Clarence has retained a role with the Northern Sinfonia as Education Animateur. He visits schools, colleges and adult groups in the north of England to lead music workshops or discussions on music and composers, and has been selected on several occasions for the panel of BBC Young Musician of the Year.

Clarence is an inspiration to the many people who know him - not least since the day in 2005 when the Headspace Instrument [hSi] enabled Clarence again to perform on the concert platform. His reaction was “ this is the first time in ten years that I have felt like a musician again”

The Clarence Adoo Trust was set up in 1995 to enable Clarence to purchase specialised equipment necessary for him to retain an active and independent life. Thanks to the fund, Clarence is able to live in a specially adapted house in Newcastle, use a mouth-controlled computer for his work, and travel across the UK for his various work-commitments.