The clarinet is a member of the woodwind family and is extremely popular in symphonic movements, jazz, and swing. It has only increased in popularity and is a standard instrument to find in any orchestra. This instrument produces a clear, smooth sound with rich bass and perfectly paired with just about any instrument, from piano and guitar to brass and percussion.
The list below has the names of the top 10 clarinet players of all time.
Julian Bliss
Julian Bliss started playing the clarinet at age four using a Lyons C Clarinet. He earned his postgraduate Artist’s Diploma from Indiana University (USA) at age 12 in 2001. However, he had to wait until he graduated from high school before he received his diploma.
Martin Fröst
The Swedish clarinetist Martin Fröst is the most unconventional international wind players. He is a gifted solo clarinet player, who frequently tours with excellent orchestras like the German Chamber Philharmony Bremen, the Austrian Camerata Salzburg or the Hamburg Symphonics.
Sharon Kam
Sharon Kam was born in Israel and won a stipendiate of the Jewish-American Cultural Society at the age of 12. Living in Germany today, she is an excellent example for the modern, flexible clarinet player who can adapt to the style required rather than playing all types of music in the same manner.
Sabine Meyer
Sabine Meyer is a famous German solo clarinet player and frequently tours with excellent ensembles. She has recorded a large number of CDs. Today she probably is Germany’s most popular clarinet player.
Charles Neidich
Charles Neidich is a famous classical clarinet player in the United States of America playing with renowned orchestras and recording CDs.
Harold Wright
Harold Wright (1926 – 1993) was probably the best classical clarinet player in the United States of America ever. He was playing for BSO Seiji Ozawa. Former director of the BSO said in the Boston Globe that not only was he the best player in the BSO, but he was also one of the top handful of most significant musicians of the 20th century, alongside Heifitz, Horowitz, Casals, and so on.
Richard Stoltzman
Richard Stoltzman is the most famous classical clarinet player in the United States of America today. He is playing with renowned orchestras and recording CDs.
Jost Michaels
Jost Michaels was an excellent player but was even better known as Professor in Detmold, Germany, where he focussed on playing technique.
Dieter Klöcker
Dieter Klöcker is a German clarinet player with a lot of recordings. Especially if you are looking for pieces that are not top sellers, you may find records with him. Besides his playing career, he is a Professor in Freiburg with a focus on Jewish music.
Karl Leister
Karl Leister was the German player that you will find the most German recordings of. He played with Karajan for more than thirty years. His records are always perfect and adapted to the musical style required.
Jack Brymer
Jack Brymer was an English clarinet player, who has recorded a lot of essential pieces together with great orchestras. He has intensively thought about many aspects of the instrument, the sound of the clarinet, and different ideas about it in the world, and he is a well-known clarinet teacher.
