International Concert Series 2026-27

British clarinettist Mebrakh Haughton-Johnson joins pianist Viktor Erik Emanuel for a programme that moves between classical tradition, jazz and contemporary music. Haughton-Johnson has performed internationally as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician, with appearances ranging from Wigmore Hall and the BBC Proms to New York's Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His work with Chineke!, Juilliard Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia and Anthony McGill reflects a musical life that crosses genres and continents. At Royal Holloway, he and Emanuel bring this breadth to music by James Lee III, Gershwin, Brahms, Jessie Montgomery and Debussy.

This event is presented as part of the International Concert Series 2026-27 - The Sounding World - at Royal Holloway.

Event programme

James Lee III (b. 1975): Principal Brothers No. 3
George Gershwin (1898–1937), arr. Cohen: Three Preludes
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897): Clarinet Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 120 No. 2
Jessie Montgomery (b. 1981): Peace
Claude Debussy (1862–1918): Première Rhapsodie 

About the performers

Mebrakh Haughton-Johnson is a British clarinettist rapidly establishing himself as a distinctive voice on the international stage. Known for his fearless programming, exceptional versatility and compelling communication, he brings together classical masterworks, contemporary music and global influences to create concerts that resonate with today's audiences. He has performed at many of the world's most prestigious venues and festivals, including Wigmore Hall, Kings Place, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Verbier Festival, Adelaide Festival and the Edinburgh International Festival, and made his American concerto debut in 2024 with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. Recent and forthcoming highlights include appearances at Harrogate International Festival, St George's Bristol, The Athenaeum, the University of Birmingham and Whittington Music Festival, as well as performances of Weber's Clarinet Concerto No. 2 with St Bart's Chamber Orchestra. A First-Class graduate of the Royal College of Music and alumnus of The Juilliard School, Mebrakh studied with some of the world's leading clarinettists, including Anthony McGill, and is emerging as one of the most exciting and original musicians of his generation.

Born in Stockholm to an Indonesian father and a Swedish mother, Viktor Erik Emanuel started playing the piano at the age of ten. After attending one of the foremost specialist music schools in Sweden and winning prizes in several piano competitions, he moved to London in 2004 to pursue conservatoire-level studies under the tutelage of Caroline Palmer and Paul Roberts at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Viktor continued his musical education with Tatiana Sarkissova at the Royal Academy of Music, from which he graduated with a Master of Arts in Piano Performance as well as the LRAM Teaching Diploma.