Colorado and Utah Tour with Enhake

I just came back from a very much anticipated tour of Colorado and Utah with the enhake family! Since starting as a graduate chamber ensemble eight years ago, we have grown into an entourage of wonderful family and friends (three enhake babies as of now and two more coming very soon!). For this trip, All our spouses and babies were traveling with us except for Katie's. We first met up in Durango, Co, where our violinist Brent is the Professor of Violin at Fort Lewis College. We got to spend wonderful winter break here last time around, everything was a bit more familiar. Our concert and master class all went very well, and we really enjoyed some remarkable restaurants and shops in downtown Durango. 

enhake at St. Mark's Recital Series

Post Recital Dinner

Post Recital Dinner

After our Durango residency, we drove up through the beautiful Colorado River to north. We made a stop at Arches National Park (although we did not have enough time to see the famous Arch, especially with couple of infants and my pregnant wife!) on our way to Grand Junction, CO. Everything was out of this world to me, and I was much refreshed despite long drives and tight schedule.

enhake at Arches National Park, CO

With my family!

We were greeted with beautiful weather when we arrived in Grand Junction. Enhake actually was invited here many years ago when the university was called Mesa State College, and returning here with our new cellist Katie and families was quite special. The incredibly scenic view of the Monument throughout this small town was still very impressive. We met our old friends and some fantastic new faculty members at school and had lots of fun playing the recital, etc.

Colorado Mesa University's Performing Arts Center

We were advertised on the baseball field screen!

Colorado Mesa University's Colorful Hall

We drove through Salt Lake City to finally arrive in our final destination, Logan, UT. The weather was not good, and the driving was rather perilous. We arrived in Logan very late and was much relieved to settle in. Our host and friend Nick Morrison and Lesley showed around the impressive campus surrounded my the mountains, and we presented our workshop called "Entrepreneurship in Arts and Music" to Utah State University's students. Our recital was presented by Chamber Music Society of Logan, a prestigious series boasting some of the great chamber music ensembles of our time. A great privilege for us, indeed! It was one of my favorite performing venues that I've played recently, and I was glad to see a fantastic Fazioli at the hall. 

Another successful tour with enhake, and now it is time to go back to teaching.

enhake at Chamber Music Society of Logan

enhake at Utah State University

Our instruments for tonight

Post concert picture

Stephan Krehl CD is now released on Naxos!

This post will be updated with more details soon. Meanwhile, check out a free download opportunity for a track from this CD on Minnesota Public Radio's Daily Download page here!

From the CD blurb:

Stephan Krehl is remembered for numerous influential textbooks on music theory, harmony and counterpoint written during his distinguished tenure at the Leipzig Conservatory. As a composer he unfashionably adhered to the late German Romantic tradition of Brahms and Schumann, his superbly crafted String Quartet Op. 17 covering every emotion from mystery and lyrical wistfulness to wit and dramatic passion. Krehl’s Clarinet Quintet is modelled on that of Brahms, but its content reveals a unique compositional voice filled with quixotic moods, expressive tenderness and extrovert theatricality.

2015 TTU Clarinet Symposium

TTU Clarinet Student Duo Sarah McMichen and Anjali Sivaainkaran performing Poulenc's Duo for high school participants at...

Posted by TTU Clarinet Studio & Society of Clarinet on Sunday, November 22, 2015

Here are some additional pictures from last Friday's TTU All-Star Instrumental Symposium. We had such a great turnout...

Posted by TTU Clarinet Studio & Society of Clarinet on Sunday, November 22, 2015

A Very Proud Teacher!

TTU Clarinet Ensemble performing a Mozart Overture at the 2015 Fall Recital

This semester began with a series of recitals and performances for me, I was anxious to get through my high-paced schedule week by week. After our final Cumberland Quintet concert and BSO's production of Barber of Seville, I had a short break from the relentless performing schedule. My schedule then was taken over by my students' performances, all of which they presented with such spectacular results.

My studio gave a terrific studio recital back in October, featuring some very challenging repertoires. I am very happy to see both the continued progress of the students and new standards they set for themselves each day.

Fall 2015 Studio Recital Program

Fall 2015 Studio Recital Program

A student duo, Sarah and Anjali, was invited to present a lecture recital at the 2015 National Collegiate Honors Conference in Chicago. It's been a pleasure to working with them and delve deeply into Poulenc's Sonata for Two Clarinets. At the interview with our university's publicity office, I said "Their performance represented the high quality work we pursue at Tech each day and will continue to set new standards for their colleagues." You can read more about their presentation here.

Sarah and Anjali performing in at NCHC National Conference in Chicago

I am also thrilled to announce that two of my students were recently named Tennessee state winner and alternate of 2015 MTNA Young Artist Competition and Chamber Music Competition, respectively. Sarah, who gave a truly mature and heartfelt performance of Brahms's F Minor Sonata, Op. 120/1 and Donald Martino's virtuosic "A Set for Clarinet" gained the unanimous vote from all judges to be the first place winner. This is Sarah's second time winning MTNA/TN, and she will precede to the Southern Division round in January 2016 in Tampa, FL. Michaela who performed works by Bach/Vivaldi, Ibert, Ligeti, and Arnold as the clarinetist of Peachtree Woodwind Quintet (coached by my colleague Bill Woodworth) placed second in the Chamber Music category. You can view the complete result of the MTNA/TN Competition here.

Sarah with her award certificate - MTSU campus

Michaela with her Peachtree Quintet colleagues

Another Big News (updated on November 23, 2015):

Michaela Cundari just won the Derryberry Concerto Competition held at Tennessee Tech University on Monday, November 23. This is one of the highest honor bestowed upon the entire music student body at TTU. Michaela will perform Copland Clarinet Concerto with BSO on February 14, 2016. Congratulations, Michaela!!

Both Sarah and Michaela played amazing senior recitals this semester:

Michaela's creative Senior Recital poster: Vanhal's Clarinet Sonata, Copland's Clarinet Concerto, and Scott McAllister's "Freebirds."

After Sarah's Senior Recital. Her program: Mozart's Clarinet Concerto, Donald Martino's "A Set for Clarinet," and Brahms's Clarinet Sonata, Op. 120/1

Please stay tuned for some other exciting news to come from my studio!

Frank Ticheli Clarinet Concerto

Ticheli's Clarinet Concerto was among many other challenging scores that have occupied my stand for the past few weeks.

Learning Frank Ticheli's Clarinet Concerto during past few weeks has been like solving a challenging but addictive puzzle. I was very fortunate to perform it with some wonderful students in TTU Wind Ensemble on Wednesday evening, and we had our best run at the concert. 

Tennessee Tech University Wind Ensemble

With TTU Wind Ensemble clarinet section

Post concert hangout. What an amazing group of students I have!

TAMU Residency - September 2015

TAMU Department of Performance Studies

Kim-Choi Duo spent a wonderful weekend of September in College Station, TX, giving a recital, lecture and masterclasses to highly energetic group of Aggies! We brought with us some of our newly learned repertoire including Peter Lieuwen's Bright River and Bernstein Sonata as well as our old favorites such as Devienne's Sonata and Martinu's Sonatina. It was great to play Bright River for Peter at his own university. 

Kim-Choi Duo performing at the Rudder Theatre

The following day, both of us gave master classes for clarinet and piano students. I particularly enjoyed collaborating with the TAMU Department of Anthropology for my lecture entitled "The Influence of Traditional Korean Music on Contemporary Music." I have had a number of opportunities since graduate school to explore this particular topic and felt both comfortable and sufficiently informed to give a short lecture. Since the majority of the audience did not have formal musical background, I focused on two particular examples where the Traditional Korean Music and Western Contemporary music intersect: the musical borrowing of famous (and very pleasant) Korean traditional melodies such as Arirang, and more intricate but subtle adaptation by composers such as Isang Yun (mainly through the concept of "Hauptton"). I was able to give some demonstration showcasing various unfamiliar but fascinating musical practices in Korean tradition. I am intrigued by the potential in this fusion and look forward to investigating this topic further. 

Brown Bag Lunch Lecture 

Parallel between the Eastern calligraphy and the concept of Korean music

Taoist principles in Korean traditional music

Demonstrating modern techniques that emulate practices in Korean traditional music 

Our friend Peter was such a gracious host and invited us for the evening at his incredible estate. We had marvelous time enjoying his beautiful lake and talked about some more collaborative projects to come!

Our friend Peter had this beautiful private lake behind his house. The dock floats around!

Our friend Peter had this beautiful private lake behind his house. The dock floats around!

Some high-speed exploration!

Some high-speed exploration!

2015-16 At a Glance

I was very fortunate to have great teachers who were also phenomenal players. Every one of their performances that I attended or concerts I was lucky enough to play with them were sheer source of inspiration. I came to believe that showing the examples of fine musicianship and what it takes to constantly improve oneself to the students is an immensely important component of teaching. I also came to learn that it is no easy task to maintain a status of performing musician while teaching a full studio (you can read about my 15/16 studio at TTU here). In any case, I am thrilled to announce my 2015-16 season schedule filled with exciting performances, collaborations, and projects.

Just having performed my TTU Faculty Recital last night, I am now preparing for the upcoming three-day residency in College Station, TX. I and Grace will be featured as guest artists at Texas A&M University's Department of Performance Studies. We will present a full 90-minute recital featuring some of our favorite duo repertoires as well as some of recent additions such as Peter Lieuwen's Bright River. It will be a treat to bring this work to Peter's own university. We are also scheduled to give master classes and a lecture.

In October, I will perform Frank Ticheli's Clarinet Concerto, one of my self-imposed challenges for the year, with TTU Wind ensemble. While I am anxious to work up this very difficult piece, I am excited to collaborate with some stellar student musicians in the ensemble and my colleague Joe Hermann. I also cannot wait to play with my friend and amazing pianist Esther Park during her visit to TTU. In Esther's French-themed recital, we will play Debussy's Premiere Rhapsody and Poulenc's Clarinet Sonata.

In January, I will be joined by enhake and its now ever-expanding family members in a three-state tour (Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah). We will serve as Artist-in-Residence at Fort Lewis College, where our violinist Brent is a faculty member. Our recital at the St. Mark's Recital Series will feature some of our favorite, including Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time. We are also scheduled to perform at Colorado Mesa University, and the tour will conclude with our appearance at the Chamber Music Society of Logan and the Utah State University.

Logan should be very beautiful and "snowy" during our visit

In February, I will host two friends of mine, violinist Emily Westell and pianist Sasha Karpeyev, for the TTU Center Stage Series. I will join the duo in performance of Brahms Clarinet Sonata No. 1, Milhaud's Suite for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano, and Bartok's Contrasts. I am scheduled to appear as the guest clarinetist for the 2016 University of Northern Iowa Woodwind Day later in March. Few trips to NYC and Florida are also being planned in the spring. Finally, I hope to survive through another TTU Clarinet Day in April. 

While the summer plans are not completely set at this point, I have some great events scheduled during July and August. I will be doing a good deal of teaching and playing in various cities in Korea, including a performance of Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time with Mirus Trio (my friend Jayoung's ensemble) at Seoul Arts Center's IBK Chamber Hall. 

Seoul Arts Center's IBK Chamber Music Hall, built only few years ago!

Throughout the year, I am also looking forward to playing as a clarinetist of the Cumberland Quintet with my admirable TTU colleagues as well as the principal clarinet for the Bryan Symphony Orchestra and the Albany Symphony in GA. Which clarinetist can possibly complain when the season schedule include such works as Kodaly's Dances of Galanta, Brahms' Third Symphony, Elgar's Enigma Variations and Sibelius Symphony No. 2!!?

For my complete list of performances during 2015-16 season, please visit my calendar page. 

2015-16 TTU Clarinet Studio Overview

2015-16 TTU Clarinet Studio 

This year, my studio is joined by four excellent freshman clarinet majors (two performance and two music education) with one more coming in the Spring 2016. Four of my seniors will be out student teaching (residency). Two of them are planning to apply to graduate schools. The students will actively participate in our growing Clarinet Choir (the group had a chance to work with the Pulitzer-prize winning composer Steve Reich as well as the renowned bass-clarinet duo, Sqwonk, last year), clarinet chamber ensembles, reed-making class, orchestral excerpt class, and more. Please stay tuned for a major update coming up for our Studio Website (with individual student bios, studio and student recital schedule, etc.) and visit often!

We also have some very impressive programs! Here are some of the highlight repertoires that our students will work on and perform on various occasions:

  • W. A. Mozart - Clarinet Concerto
  • Aaron Copland - Clarinet Concerto
  • C. M. v. Weber - Concertino
  • C. M. v. Weber - Clarinet Concerto No. 1
  • Louis Spohr - Clarinet Concerto No. 4
  • Gerald Finzi - Clarinet Concerto
  • Igor Stravinsky - Three Pieces
  • Donald Martino - A Set for Clarinet Solo
  • Paul Harvey - Three Etudes on Theme of Gershwin
  • Heinrich Sutermeister - Capriccio for Solo Clarinet 
  • Scott McAllister - Freebirds
  • Giuseppe Verdi/Bassi - Fantasy on the Theme from "Rigoletto"
  • Francis Poulenc - Clarinet Sonata
  • Andre Messager - Solo de Concours
  • Wilson Osborn - Rhapsody for Solo Clarinet
  • Henri Rabaud - Solo de Concours
  • Robert Schumann - Fantasy Pieces
  • Gerald Finzi - Five Bagatelles
  • Saint-Saens - Clarinet Sonata
  • Johannes Brahms - Clarinet Sonata No. 1 and 2

Our students will also work on the following etudes throughout the year:

  • Hite - Melodious and Progressive Studies for Clarinet, Book 1
  • Rose - 40 Studies and 32 Etudes
  • Polatschek - Advanced Studies for the Clarinet
  • Uhl - 48 Studies for Clarinet
  • Jeanjean - 18 etudes de Perfectionnement
  • Jeanjean - 16 Etudes Modernes
  • Excerpts from my own soon-to-be-published exercises 

TTU Society of Clarinet recently elected its new officers:

  • Sarah McMichen, president
  • Torey Hart, vice president
  • Caroline Brightwell, secretary
  • Austine Wilson, treasurer
  • Delaney Naffziger, official spokesperson and social media coordinator!

The organization will help planning various fundraising events, a spring break trip to soon-to-be-revealed location, and the annual TTU Clarinet Day. Now, let us begin!

ICA ClarinetFest 2015 Madrid, Spain

It was a great privilege to be invited to perform at the 2015 ClarinetFest in Madrid, Spain. I spent a week of July in this beautiful city, meeting some amazing clarinetists and friends, playing great music, and enjoying plenty of sightseeing. My recital featured two American works for clarinet and piano: Leonard Bernstein's Clarinet Sonata and Peter Lieuwen's new work, Bright River (2014), with this performance being the official European Premiere. I was thrilled to be joined by my friend Sasha from London. 

After the recital with pianist Sasha

Excerpts from my ClarinetFest recital prepared by Silverstein Works

Grand Entrance to Conde Duque

I was also delighted that Peter (the composer) flew all the way with his wonderful wife attended our concert with his nephew who happened to be living in Madrid. It was the first time Peter heard Bright River being performed. I am looking forward to see him again during my residency at Texas A&M University in College Station, TN in September where I will perform this work again. 

Post recital dinner at a local restaurant, where I had a kangaroo burger!

Despite my unfamiliarity with this part of Europe, there was something very elegant yet approachable in this city. A great deal of vibrancy and wonderful foods...

View from my room in Madrid

Due to a last-minute absence by a clarinetist in KoMo Clarinet Quartet, I was invited to fill in the spot for their concert at the end of the week. I not only got to play some fun music, but was very fortunate to become good friends with Useon, Geonju and Maxine, all wonderful musicians and people!

@Madrid Conservatory with the members of Komo Quartet

Dinner at an extremely fancy restaurant in downtown with my friends from Silverstein Works, Calvin and BK (CEO and President) 

with Karl Leister

Among many other things I got to do in Madrid, the visit to Muso Prado singularly stands out. The museum houses some of the greatest works that are familiar to us. I was more impressed by its unique organization and distinct taste of the Spanish monarchs who curated the selections throughout past many centuries.

Muso Nacional del Prado

Special 10-piece Picasso Exhibit @ Museo Prado