TTU Symphony Band in Chicago

TTU Symphony Band clarinet section on stage at Chicago Symphony Center

It was a pleasure to accompany my students in TTU Symphony Band during their trip to Chicago last weekend. The ensemble prepared some great selections, including Frank Ticheli's Blue Shades, which features a number of exciting solos for clarinet and bass clarinet (you can watch the performance clip here).  I was immensely thrilled and proud to hear my students' outstanding playing at all rehearsals and concert I got to attend that weekend. 

Warming up for at a local HS before the big performance in the evening

Look how happy my students are!

Aside from all the playing, we got to do other fun things as well such as going to CSO/Uchida concert on Saturday evening and spontaneous ice cream social at midnight in downtown Chicago...

An evening with TTU clarinet students at Chicago Symphony Concert

Uchida directed and performed CSO on Saturday evening!

And of course, I took my studio out to a midnight ice cream adventure in the city!

TTU Symphony Band at Chicago Symphony Center

The TTU entourage had fun enjoying the concert from the box seats

Troy University Clarinet Day 2015

Troy University Clarinet Day's Artistic Team

It was a privilege to be invited again to the Troy University Clarinet Day again this year. I got to travel with Grace who was much busier playing for all clarinet artists at the event. I caught up with Jean-François from D'Addario and got to meet Jan Jakub Bokun, a remarkable musician from Poland. It was also very nice to see my friend Jeff Brooks who gave a stunning performance of Eric Mandat's work. 

Playing Ciesla's Fantasia Concerto with Troy University Clarinet Ensemble

I admire my colleague Tim Phillips's ability to put together this incredible event and being such a kind and sincere host. I had a great time working with his students and playing Alexis Ciesla's Fantasia Concerto with Troy University Clarinet Ensemble. It is very encouraging that many colleagues working so hard to share their talent and passion with young students in different parts of the country. These are very hard work on our own time, but the reward is tremendous!  

Great to meet some new colleagues and old friends!

One of the artist photos taken at the event!

enhake in Bronwsville

Inside the Beautiful Hall at UTB

enhake resumed its work after an exhausting performing and recording schedule in Colorado back in January. This time, we flew to Brownsville, TX to perform at their Patron of Arts Series and work with the music students at UTB. Our cellist Katie is the low strings professor there, and we had a great time meeting some wonderful students and faculty members. On a plus side, the Mexican cuisine in town was truly exceptional! Our concert on Friday evening featuring Mackey's Breakdown Tango, Gabriel Lena Frank's Hilos, and Brent's arrangement of various tangos was received by great enthusiasm. We are now gearing up for our busy season next year with concerts in Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming!  ​

Impressive Chandelier in the Hall

UTB Performing Arts Center

Some very authentic tacos

[From the Past] Interview with Libby Larsen

enhake with Libby Larsen, Tallahassee, FL (2010) 

Here is an interview I did with members of enhake and Libby Larsen for WFSQ 91.5FM in Tallahassee, FL in 2010. We discuss the creative process of commissioning and our collaborative endeavor on a piece Ms. Larsen wrote for our ensemble, Rodeo Queen of Heaven (2010). We later premiered the work at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall and performed the work in many important festivals and venues. We also recorded the work for Naxos, which was later selected as "Music US Choice" by BBC Music Magazine and MusicWeb International among other. The work was also the topic for my doctoral treatise entitled "Rodeo Queen Of Heaven (2010): Libby Larsen's Fusion Of Chants And Clarinet's Unique American Voice." 


Krehl/Naxos Recording Session

Rehearsing before recording

It was a busy and exhausting week I spent in Evansville, IN with my Larchmere String Quartet friends, but I feel so great to finally put an end to this project that I envisioned several years ago. In effect, I traded my Spring Break off with this CD, a totally worthwhile outcome! The CD will include a beautiful Clarinet Quintet by Stephan Krehl (1864-1924) and a virtually unknown string quartet by the same composer set to be released by Naxos later this year. It was a great pleasure working with our engineer, Bill Maylone (WFMT Chicago), and producers, Daniel Stein and Francisco Cortes Alvarez. I will keep everyone posted as the release date comes closer!

Bill setting up the microphones

The Control Room

Where the magic happens...

At Bonefish Grill about halfway done!

Astor Piazzolla CD

Recording session with enhake

I am currently working on some edits for the upcoming CD featuring enhake's Piazzolla Tango collection (the arrangements are done by our violinist Brent Williams). We recorded back in January during our residency in Durango, CO, and working on them brings back many wonderful memories from that busy week. 

This is one take on my solo in "Concierto para Quinteto." Many people asked me to share a sound clip of the new Vandoren V21 reeds, and this was played on V21! A hauntingly beautiful melody written by Piazzolla, arranged by Brent, and improvised by me!

My stand!

Making sure if we are doing it right...

The enhake family

Downtown Durango, CO

Thronateeska Concerto for enhake and Albany Symphony Orchestra

enhake's first reading of Steve's Thronateeska Concerto with the Albany Symphony

It was a remarkable experience to premiere a new concerto written for enhake by our friend Steve Landis. The project was initiated many years ago,  and we were both thrilled and grateful to bring it into life despite a multitude of obstacles. The work is in three movements with two cadenzas between each section, although they are played without break. Landis highlights various strengths of enhake's ensemble as well as its individual players. The first movement begins with a stream of high-energy repeated notes, and it posed some challenges for me as a clarinet player. In the end, we found a great tempo that provides a fine balance between flow and ever-changing accents. 

Close-up

The opening of the solo clarinet part...

The first cadenza leads into the slow movement, and I and Brent (our violinist) are asked to walk off stage then to the upper balcony. The effect was quite stunning, but we had to make sure there was plenty of time for us to move around and climb up/down all those stairs. A great way to work out and get some stretching done!

This is where I have to run out of the stage and climb up to the upper balcony

The antiphonal solo part in the econd movement 

The third movement begins with highly rhythmic motif played in unison and leads to an exciting ending. There are many interesting and creative ideas, and we were pleased to see them work very well. It was a great privilege to be a part of this project among some wonderful friends in the ensemble. We certainly look forward to much more to come!

This section in the third movement asks all players to play as loud and high as possible!

My set-up for the evening!

Visiting Evansville, Indiana

The University of Evansville Clarinet Day

Dinner with Larchmere String Quartet

Performing Stephan Krehl's Clarinet Quintet with Larchmere String Quartet

UE Clarinet Day Master Class

UE Clarinet Day Master Class

Playing with UE Clarinet Choir!

with my delightful Larchmere String Quartet friends!

University of Denver Master Class

I had a privilege of visiting Dr. Jeremy Reynolds' clarinet studio at Lamont School of Music - University of Denver last week. I worked with four talented students and we had a wonderful audience consisting of Lamont students and some community folks. 

Here are some pictures that one of the audience members (former physician who is now a clarinet enthusiast and semi-professional photographer). A good combination of serious, inquisitive, entertaining, and delighted faces! 

with my friend and colleague, Jeremy Reynolds


ASO Cirque de la Symphonie

Albany Symphony Orchestra with Cirque de la Symphonie

This weekend was the second time for me to play with Cirque de la Symphonie, but it was still too exciting not to glance at the amazing acrobats every once in a while during rehearsals and performances, etc. A truly challenging endeavor if you are the musician! In fact, my very first concert after being appointed as the principal clarinetist of the Albany Symphony Orchestra back in 2012 was with ASO and Cirque de la Symphonie. With some really nice musical selections (including some of my favorites such as Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espanol) and great performances by the acrobats, I find these productions much more enjoyable for both musicians and audience than conventional pops or holiday concerts.  

I grew to really love playing with this group, particularly with the wonderful woodwind section! They are all outstanding musicians and amazing friends! One of many exciting projects I get to do with this group next year is a performance of Concerto for enhake called Thronateeska and Orchestra by Steve Landis. This project was initiated by my chamber ensemble enhake and Albany Symphony Orchestra a few years ago. I am really looking forward to the world premiere of Thronateeska in February and will certainly keep everyone posted about the concert.

Albany Symphony Orchestra Clarinet (and bassoon) sections!