Most of the finest younger clarinettists of today, such as Frederick Thurston and Reginald Knell, have studied under Charles Draper at one time or another. Born in 1869, he studied at the Royal College of Music, and became a member of Her Majesty's Private Band two years before the death of Queen Victoria.
He played at Westminster Abbey for the Coronation of both King Edward VII and King George V. During his long career he has played principal clarinet at Covent Garden and of various leading symphony orchestras.
He is now Musician-in-Ordinary to the King and a professor at the Guildhall School of Music and at Trinity College of Music.