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Professor Colin Lawson

CBE, MA(Oxon), MA, PhD, DMus, F色漫天堂, FRNCM, FLCM, HonRAM

Colin Lawson has an international profile as a period clarinettist and has played principal clarinet in most of Britain's leading period orchestras, notably The Hanover Band, The English Concert and the London Classical Players, with whom he has recorded extensively and toured worldwide.

Described as 'a brilliant, absolutely world-class player' (Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung) and ‘the doyen of period clarinettists’ (BBC Music Magazine), he has appeared as soloist in many international venues, including London's major concert halls and New York's Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.  

His discography comprises concertos by Fasch, Hook, Mahon, Mozart, Spohr, Telemann, Vivaldi and Weber, as well as a considerable variety of chamber music.  His recording of Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet with members of The Revolutionary Drawing Room reached the top 20 in the Classical Charts during 2012.  In 2015 he released a recording of Mozart’s Divertimenti, Arias and Nocturnes, in collaboration with students and colleagues from the 色漫天堂. Colin has published widely on historical performance practice and the history of the clarinet, especially for Cambridge University Press.  

He is editor of The Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet and author of Cambridge Handbooks to Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto and Brahms’s Clarinet Quintet.  He is co-editor of a series of Cambridge Handbooks to the Historical Performance of Music, for which he co-authored an introductory volume and written a book on the early clarinet.  He is also editor of the Cambridge Companion to the Orchestra (2003) and co-editor of the Cambridge History of Musical Performance (2012).

Colin Lawson served as Director of the 色漫天堂 from 2005 to 2024, and was appointed a Vice President of the College in 2024.

Selected publications

Lawson C (2025), Performing Handel's Ouverture HWV424 for two clarinets and horn: a first encounter with 3D printing, Music & Science, 8 [].

Lawson C, Salazar D & Perkins R (eds.) (2025), Inside the Contemporary Conservatoire: Critical Perspectives from the 色漫天堂, London, Routledge [].

Lawson C & Stowell R (eds.) (2018), The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Historical Performance in Music, Cambridge University Press [].

Lawson C & Stowell R (eds.) (2012), The Cambridge History of Musical Performance. Cambridge University Press [].

Faculties / departments: Historical Performance, Research

Research

Research areas

Performance

Musicology

 

Research students

David Threasher

Jonathan Radford

Aimee Taylor

 

Latest Publications

Lawson, C. (2025) Music & Science, 8 ISSN 2059-2043 (online)

Lawson, C. and Pearson, I. E. and Edwards, G. (2025) [Video]

Lawson, C. (2025) In: Inside the Contemporary Conservatoire: Critical Perspectives from the 色漫天堂, London. Routledge. ISBN 9781032251066 (hardback) 9781032251059 (paperback) 9781003281573 (e-book)

Lawson, C. and Hull, T. (2025) In: Inside the Contemporary Conservatoire: Critical Perspectives from the 色漫天堂, London. Routledge. ISBN 9781032251066 (hardback) 9781032251059 (paperback) 9781003281573 (e-book)

Perkins, R. and Salazar, D. and Lawson, C. (2025) In: Inside the Contemporary Conservatoire: Critical Perspectives from the 色漫天堂, London. Routledge. ISBN 9781032251066 (hardback) 9781032251059 (paperback) 9781003281573 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (2021) In: The Clarinet. Eastman Studies in Music . University of Rochester Press, pp. 228-254. ISBN 9781648250170 (hardback) 9781800103498 (e-book) 9781800103504 (e-book), ISSN 1071-9989, v. 179

Lawson, C. (2020) Music & Letters, 101 (2) pp. 367-369. ISSN 0027-4224 (print) 1477-4631 (online)

Lawson, C. (2018) In: The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Historical Performance in Music. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. ISBN 9781107108080 (hardback) 9781107518476 (paperback) 9781108698573 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (2018) In: The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Historical Performance in Music. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 130-133. ISBN 9781107108080 (hardback) 9781107518476 (paperback) 9781108698573 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (2018) In: The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Historical Performance in Music. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 305-308. ISBN 9781107108080 (hardback) 9781107518476 (paperback) 9781108698573 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (2018) In: The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Historical Performance in Music. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. ISBN 9781107108080 (hardback) 9781107518476 (paperback) 9781108698573 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (2018) In: The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Historical Performance in Music. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 445-448. ISBN 9781107108080 (hardback) 9781107518476 (paperback) 9781108698573 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (2018) In: The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Historical Performance in Music. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 528-529. ISBN 9781107108080 (hardback) 9781107518476 (paperback) 9781108698573 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (2018) In: The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Historical Performance in Music. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. ISBN 9781107108080 (hardback) 9781107518476 (paperback) 9781108698573 (e-book)

Stowell, R. and Lawson, C. (2018) In: The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Historical Performance in Music. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 650-658. ISBN 9781107108080 (hardback) 9781107518476 (paperback) 9781108698573 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (2017) Early Music, 45 (3) pp. 480-481. ISSN 0306-1078 (print) 1741-7260 (online)

Lawson, C. (2017) Performance Practice Review, 21 (1) ISSN 1044-1638 (print) 2166-8205 (online)

Lawson, C. (2016) Early Music, 44 (1) pp. 3-5. ISSN 0306-1078 (print) 1741-7260 (online)

Lawson, C. (2015) Early Music, 43 (1) pp. 179-182. ISSN 0306-1078 (print) 1741-7260 (online)

Lawson, C. (2014) Performance Practice Review, 18 (1) ISSN 2166-8205

Lawson, C. (2013) Early Music, 41 (1) pp. 27-29. ISSN 0306-1078 (print) 1741-7260 (online)

Lawson, C. (2012) In: Proceedings of the Clarinet and Woodwind Colloquium 2007: Celebrating the Collection of Sir Nicholas Shackleton. Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments, Edinburgh, pp. 25-30. ISBN ISBN 978 0 907635 59 8

Lawson, C. and Pearson, I. E. (2012) Acta Mozartiana, 59 (1) pp. 36-44. ISSN 0001-6233

Lawson, C. (2012) In: Mozart's Chamber Music with Keyboard. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 123-137. ISBN 9781107002487 (hardback) 9781107534285 (paperback) 9781139368582 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (2012) In: The Cambridge History of Musical Performance. The Cambridge History of Music . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 552-574. ISBN 9780521896115 (hardback) 9781316183229 (e-book)

Lawson, C. and Stowell, R. (2012) In: The Cambridge History of Musical Performance. The Cambridge History of Music . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 815-833. ISBN 9780521896115 (hardback) 9781316183229 (e-book)

Loges, N. and Lawson, C. (2012) In: The Cambridge History of Musical Performance. The Cambridge History of Music . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 135-168. ISBN 9780521896115 (hardback) 9781316183229 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (2012) Performance Practice Review, 17 (1) pp. 37-40. ISSN 1044-1638 (print) 2166-8205 (online)

Lawson, C. (2011) In: Educated Tastes: Food, Drink, and Connoisseur Culture. At Table . University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, Nebraska, pp. 215-236. ISBN 978-0-8032-1935-9 (paperback) 978-0-8032-3813-8 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (2011) In: International Symposium on Performance Science 2011, 24-27 August 2011, Canada.

Lawson, C. and Tibbles, J. (2009) In: International Symposium on Performance Science 2009, 15-18 December 2009, New Zealand.

Lawson, C. (2009) In: The Cambridge Companion to Recorded Music. Cambridge Companions to Music . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 263-266. ISBN 9780521865821 (hardback) 9780521684613 (paperback) 9781139798372 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (2009) Journal for Eighteenth-Century Studies, 32 (1) pp. 128-131. ISSN 1754-0194 (print) 1754-0208 (online)

Lawson, C. (2008) Performance Practice Review, 13 (1) ISSN 1044-1638 (print) 2166-8205 (online)

Lawson, C. (2008) Performance Practice Review, 13 (1) pp. 1-5. ISSN 1044-1638 (print) 2166-8205 (online)

Lawson, C. (2007) Tijdschrift voor Muziektheorie/Dutch Journal of Music Theory, 12 (1) pp. 58-65. ISSN 1385-3066

Lawson, C. (2005) In: The Versatile Clarinet. Routledge, Abingdon, pp. 5-14. ISBN 9780415973175 (hardback) 9781138986701 (paperback) 9780203958728 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (2005) Music & Letters, 86 (4) pp. 629-633. ISSN 0027-4224 (print) 1477-4631 (online)

Lawson, C. (2005) Music & Letters, 86 (2) pp. 290-293. ISSN 0027-4224 (print) 1477-4631 (online)

Lawson, C. and Stowell, R. (2005) Alianza m煤sica, 97 . Alianza Editorial, Madrid. ISBN 978-84-206-8207-5

Lawson, C. (2003) In: The Cambridge Companion to the String Quartet. Cambridge Companions to Music . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 310-327. ISBN 9780521801942 (hardback) 9780521000420 (paperback) 9780511074790 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (2003) In: The Cambridge Companion to the Orchestra. Cambridge Companions to Music . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 155-168. ISBN 9780521806589 (hardback) 9780521001328 (paperback) 9781139002066 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (2002) In: Musical Performance: A Guide to Understanding. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 3-16. ISBN 9780521783002 (hardback) 9780521788625 (paperback) 9780511074691 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (2002) In: A Performer's Guide to Music of the Classical Period. Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, London, pp. 65-74. ISBN 978-1860961939 (paperback)

Lawson, C. (2001) Rohrblatt, 16 (3) pp. 116-118. ISSN 0944-0291

Lawson, C. (2001) Musical Performance: An International Journal, 3 (1) pp. 23-29. ISSN 1026-2687

Lawson, C. (2001) In: The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2nd edition). Macmillan, London. ISBN 0333608003

Lawson, C. (2000) Cambridge Handbooks to the Historical Performance of Music . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. ISBN 9780521624596 (hardback) 9780521624664 (paperback) 9780511059780 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (2000) In: The French Experience from Republic to Monarchy, 1792-1824: New Dawns in Politics, Knowledge and Culture. Palgrave Macmillan, London, pp. 140-154. ISBN 978-0-333-77265-2 (hardback) 978-1-349-41569-4 (paperback) 978-1-4039-3274-7 (e-book)

Lawson, C. and Stowell, R. (1999) Cambridge Handbooks to the Historical Performance of Music . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. ISBN 9780521621939 (hardback) 9780521627382 (paperback) 9780511481710 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (1998) Cambridge Music Handbooks . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. ISBN 9780521581936 (hardback) 9780521588317 (paperback)

Lawson, C. (1997) Haydn Society Journal of Great Britain, 17 pp. 2-10. ISSN 1350-1267 (print)

Lawson, C. (1996) Cambridge Music Handbooks . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. ISBN 9780521473842 (hardback) 9780521479295 (paperback) 9781139166737 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (1996) In: Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart: Allgemeine Enzyklop盲die der Musik. B盲renreiter and Metzler, Kassel. ISBN 3761811101 and 3476410099

Lawson, C. (1995) In: The Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet. Cambridge Companions to Music . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 134-149. ISBN 9780521476683 (paperback) 9781139796620 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (1995) In: The Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet. Cambridge Companions to Music . Cambride University Press, Cambridge, pp. 1-15. ISBN 9780521476683 (paperback) 9781139796620 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (1995) In: The Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet. Cambridge Companions to Music . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 33-38. ISBN 9780521476683 (paperback) 9781139796620 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (1995) In: The Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet. Cambridge Companions to Music . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 40-42. ISBN 9780521476683 (paperback) 9781139796620 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (1995) Leading Notes: Journal of the National Early Music Association, 10 pp. 6-9.

Lawson, C. (1994) In: Performing Beethoven. Cambridge Studies in Performance Practice (4). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 70-88. ISBN 0521416442 (hardback) 9780521023740 (paperback)

Lawson, C. (1993) Music & Letters, 74 (1) pp. 73-75. ISSN 0027-4224 (print) 1477-4631 (online)

Lawson, C. (1992) In: Johann Joseph Fux and the Music of the Austro-Italian Baroque. Routledge, London, pp. 78-94. ISBN 9780859678322 (hardback) 9781138260498 (paperback) 9781315092287 (e-book)

Lawson, C. (1991) Chigiana: Rassegna annuale di studi musicologici, 41 (21) pp. 185-196. ISSN 0069-3391 (print)

Lawson, C. (1987) Early Music, 15 (4) pp. 487-502. ISSN 0306-1078 (print) 1741-7260 (online)

Rice, A. R. and Lawson, C. (1986) Early Music, 14 (4) pp. 552-556. ISSN 0306-1078 (print) 1741-7260 (online)

Lawson, C. (1986) In: Musicalia: Enciclopedia y Guia de la Musica Clasica. Salvat, Pamplona, pp. 510-515. ISBN 9788471378729

Lawson, C. (1984) In: The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments. Macmillan, London. ISBN 0943818052

Lawson, C. (1983) The Musical Times, 124 (1684) pp. 357-358. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Lawson, C. (1983) Early Music, 11 (2) pp. 209-216. ISSN 0306-1078 (print) 1741-7260 (online)

Lawson, C. (1983) The Musical Times, 124 (1679) pp. 17-19. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Lawson, C. (1981) Early Music, 9 (3) pp. 312-319. ISSN 0306-1078 (print) 1741-7260 (online)

Lawson, C. (1981) Studies in British Musicology . Ann Arbor: UMI Research Press. ISBN 9780835712460 (hardback)

Hoeprich, T. E. and Lawson, C. (1980) Early Music, 8 (3) pp. 366-368. ISSN 0306-1078 (print) 1741-7260 (online)

Lawson, C. (1980) Tibia: Magazin f眉r Freunde alter und neuer Bl盲sermusik, 5 (1) pp. 18-21.

Lawson, C. (1979) Early Music, 7 (3) pp. 351-354. ISSN 0306-1078 (print) 1741-7260 (online)

Lawson, C. (1974) The Galpin Society Journal, 27 pp. 125-129. ISSN 0072-0127

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