From Cardiff, Jennie Joy Porton attended
the Royal College of Music a ‘year early’ aged 17, on the Joint
Principal Study Clarinet and Saxophone pathway. She also took
a semester of study on clarinet at the Universitat Mozarteum in
Salzburg and has received intensive saxophone training in New York
from Dr. Paul Cohen. With support from the Countess of
Munster Musical Trust, EMI Sound Foundation, Elizabeth Evans Trust
and the Arts Council of Wales ‘HRH Prince of Wales Advanced Music
Award’, Jennie completed a MMus at RWCMD, also on a Joint Principal
Study Clarinet and Saxophone pathway, earning the award for the
highest recital mark on this Masters programme.
As a freelancer, Jennie enjoys a varied
career as a performer, teacher and researcher. She works
regularly with the Welsh National Opera and BBC National Orchestra
of Wales on both clarinet and saxophone, joining them on UK and
foreign tours. With these ensembles, as well as the Ulster
Orchestra and RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Jennie has been involved in
television and radio broadcasts (BBC stations, S4C and Classic
FM). She freelances on musical theatre touring productions
across the UK and Europe and within London’s West End.
Jennie has also been frequently invited to join New York City based
disco-funk group Escort on their European tour dates. She
performs in smaller chamber ensembles, most recently embarking on a
saxophone-percussion duo project with percussionist Ric Elsworth
and regularly collaborating with pianist David Doidge.
Jennie is currently undertaking a part-time
PhD at Royal Holloway University supported by the College Research
Scholarship awarded by the institution. As a teacher, she
holds posts at Cardiff University and the Junior Conservatoire of
the RWCMD and has also worked in a teaching and coaching capacity
at the New York Summer Music Festival.