Professor Linda Merrick CBE

Professor Linda Merrick is Principal of Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), a leading conservatoire for aspiring young musicians and one of the North West’s most thriving performance venues.

A professional clarinettist with over 20 recordings to her name, Linda is an established international artist specialising in contemporary music and for the past 15 years has been at the forefront of generating new solo and chamber works for her instrument by British composers. She performs and teaches across the UK, mainland Europe, America, Asia and Australia, and has presented masterclasses, lecture recitals and research papers in some of the world’s most prestigious universities, colleges and conservatoires.

Linda joined the RNCM in 2001 as Director of Performance Studies and Senior Tutor in Clarinet before becoming Vice-Principal in 2006, Acting Principal in 2012, and Principal in January 2013. In addition, she is Chair of Conservatoires UK, a member of the International Advisory Council for the Creative Industries Federation and Vice-President of the Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain. Linda is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Royal Society of Arts and is the UK Representative for Howarth Clarinets.