Colin Bradbury made his début at the age of eighteen as soloist in the Mozart Clarinet Concerto at the Edinburgh Festival with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, going on to study at the Royal College of Music with Frederick Thurston. He completed National Service in the Irish Guards Band, played for Sadler's Wells Opera and then for over thirty years was Principal Clarinet of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, working with conductors from Boult to Boulez. His many solo performances with the orchestra included the concertos of Debussy, Mozart, Weber and Nielsen at Henry Wood Promenade Concerts.
As well as pursuing his solo career, he now works with the pianist Oliver Davies, whose wide knowledge of nineteenth century music has led to their performing and recording many hitherto little known works, and ultimately to the expansion of the standard clarinet repertoire.