Arts Global

Som Howie commenced clarinet studies at age 11 under Mark Walton. He entered the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2008, studying with Frank Celata and attaining his Bachelor of Music Performance in 2012.

In 2009 he won the Conservatorium Concerto competition. In 2012 he was a Grand Finalist in the ABC Young Performers Awards, performing the Copland Clarinet Concerto with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Western Australian Symphony Orchestra. In 2013, he won the Australasian Saxophone and Clarinet Conference Competition, performing the Mozart Clarinet Concerto, and the Musica Viva Australia Chamber Music Competition with his chamber ensemble, the Marinda Trio.

As an orchestral musician, Som Howie has served as guest Principal Clarinet with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra and the Sydney Lyric Orchestra (for a Paris Opera Ballet tour of Australia), and as a section player with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

In 2014 he was appointed Co-principal Clarinet of the Southbank Sinfonia in London, and performed the Mozart Clarinet Concerto with this orchestra in the UK and Italy. He also performed the Brahms Clarinet Quintet with the Allegri Quartet.

In 2015, Som Howie was a wind finalist in the Royal Overseas League Annual Competition and is scheduled to compete in the finals of the Commonwealth category of this Competition. He is presently studying with Andrew Marriner (London Symphony Orchestra) and Andreas Sunden (Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra).

In addition to being an Arts Global artist, Som Howie is a scholar of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust and the Australian Music Foundation.

Outside of music, he spends time with family and friends, and enjoys playing football and cricket.