This article lists notable

musician A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wr ...

s who have played the

clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitch ...

Classical clarinetists

Laver Bariu Laver Bariu (; May 2, 1929 in Përmet – January 26, 2014), was an Albanian folk clarinetist This article lists notable musicians who have played the clarinet. Classical clarinetists * Laver Bariu * Ernest Ačkun * Luís Afonso * Cristian ...

* Ernest Ačkun * Luís Afonso *

Cristiano Alves Cristiano Alves is a Brazilian clarinetist. Alves was born in Rio de Janeiro and was taught by José Carlos Castro. He holds a Master's degree from the School of Music at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (UFRG). He is first clarinet of the Orque ...

* Michel Arrignon * Dimitri Ashkenazy * Kinan Azmeh * Alexander Bader *

Carl Baermann Carl Baermann (24 October 1810 – 23 May 1885) was a clarinetist and composer from Munich, Germany. Life and career He was the son of noted clarinet virtuoso Heinrich Baermann and Helene Harlas. As a child he was taught the clarinet and the bas ...

Heinrich Baermann Heinrich Joseph Baermann (also spelled Bärmann; 14 February 1784 – 11 June 1847) was a German clarinet virtuoso of the Romantic era who is generally considered as being not only an outstanding performer of his time, but highly influential in th ...

* József Balogh * Cristo Barrios * Luigi Bassi *

Simeon Bellison Simeon Bellison (September 4, 1881 – May 4, 1953), born in Moscow, was a clarinetist and composer. He became a naturalised American after settling in the US in 1921. Bellison established an early clarinet choir (including women) in the United St ...

Kálmán Berkes Kálmán Berkes is a Hungarian clarinetist. Berkes was born in Budapest on May 8, 1952. He graduated from the Budapest Liszt Music Academy in 1972. He won second place at the Geneva International Music Competition in 1974, and his Opera Wind Quint ...

Julian Bliss Julian Bliss (born 1989) is a British clarinettist and clarinet designer. He has performed as a soloist, chamber and jazz musician, notably with his teacher Sabine Meyer. He also designed the Bliss Clarinet for instrument manufacturer Leblanc (mu ...

* Kalman Bloch * Walter Boeykens *

Henri Bok Henri Bok (born 9 March 1950, Rotterdam) is a Dutch bass clarinetist known for his unique compositions. Career One of the 'Big Three' in bass clarinet history, Henri Bok is a very active worldwide ambassador of his beloved instrument, one to whic ...

Daniel Bonade Daniel Bonade (April 4, 1896 – October 30, 1976) was a French classical clarinetist and professor of clarinet. He was the most influential teacher of the first generation of American-born professional clarinetists. Biography Daniel Bonade was b ...

Tara Bouman Tara Bouman (born 1970 in Leiden) is a Dutch clarinetist. Bouman studied the clarinet at the conservatories of Amsterdam and Rotterdam with Walter Boeijkens and Piet Honingh. She plays the clarinet, bass clarinet, and basset horn. Musicians ...

Naftule Brandwein Naftule Brandwein, or Naftuli Brandwine, ( yi, נפתלי בראַנדװײַן, 1884–1963) was an Austrian-born Jewish American Klezmer musician, clarinetist, bandleader and recording artist active from the 1910s to the 1940s. Along with Dav ...

* Shirley Brill *

Bruno Brun Bruno Brun (1910–1978) was a Yugoslav clarinetist and professor at the Belgrade Music Academy. Education Brun was born in Hrastnik, Austro-Hungary, now Slovenia. He graduated from the Belgrade Music Academy in 1945 and continued his education i ...

Jack Brymer John Alexander Brymer OBE (27 January 191515 September 2003) was an English clarinettist. ''The Times'' called him "the leading clarinettist of his generation, perhaps of the century". Goodwin, Noël"Jack B nimble, Jack B quick" ''The Times'' ...

Lars Kristian Brynildsen Lars Kristian Holm Brynildsen (October 8, 1954 - August 17, 2005) was a Norwegian clarinetist. He was principal clarinet of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra from 1979 until his death in 2005 and was a member of the Bergen Woodwind Quintet for 25 ...

Nicola Bulfone Nicola Bulfone is an Italian clarinetist. Bulfone was born in 1963 in Hässleholm, Sweden, and studied clarinet at the Udine Conservatory. From 1985 to 1988 he studied at the Hochschule für Musik in Stuttgart under Ulf Rodenhäuser, winning an ...

Ovanir Buosi Ovanir Buosi is a Brazilian clarinetist. He plays with the Sao Paulo State Symphony Orchestra. Early life and education Buosi was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He studied with Sergio Burgani at the Sao Paulo State University, graduating in 1997. He ...

Sérgio Burgani Sérgio Burgani is a Brazilian clarinetist. Burgani teaches clarinet at São Paulo State University. He is a member of Sujeito a Guincho, a clarinet sextet based in São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most popul ...

* Louis Cahuzac * David Campbell * James Campbell * Alessandro Carbonare *

Ernesto Cavallini Ernesto Cavallini (30 August 1807 – 1874) was an Italian clarinetist and composer. Born in Milan, Cavallini studied at the Milan Conservatory under Carulli. He performed at the Conservatoire Concerts in 1830 with his brother, violinist Eugenio ...

Florent Charpentier Florent Charpentier (born 1982) is a French clarinetist. Charpentier began playing clarinet at age 8 under Philippe Moinet. He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris under Michel Arrignon and Pascal Moraguès, graduating in 2000. He then receiv ...

* Jonathan Cohler *

Larry Combs Larry Combs (born December 31, 1939) is an American clarinetist and educator. Early life and education Combs was born in South Charleston, West Virginia. He received a bachelor of music degree with distinction as well as the Performer's Certifi ...

* Jean-Noël Crocq *

Philippe Cuper Philippe Cuper is a French clarinetist, born in Lille on 25 April, 1957. He is considered to be one of the best representatives of the current French clarinet school. Biography Studies Cuper received his early training in Marcq en Baroeul ...

* Gervase de Peyer * Hans Deinzer * Guy Deplus * Charles Draper *

Stanley Drucker Stanley Drucker (February 4, 1929 – December 19, 2022) was an American clarinetist. For nearly five decades, he was principal clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic. According to Guinness World Records, he achieved the longest career as a c ...

Eli Eban Eli Eban is an Israeli-American clarinetist and son of the late Israeli diplomat Abba Eban. Education Eli Eban was born in New York City and received his early musical training in Israel, studying the clarinet with Richard Lesser and Yona Et ...

* Anton Eberst *

Julian Egerton Julian Egerton (24 August 1848 – 22 January 1945) was a British classical clarinetist. Egerton was born in London. Despite contracting polio at the age of eight, he went on to have a lengthy, productive career, performing until the age of ...

Fredrik Fors Fredrik Fors (born 1973, Borlänge) is a Swedish, classical music clarinetist.Booklet accompanying the Harmonia Mundi CD HMN911853. His album in the Juventus ''Les Nouveaux Musiciens'' series has been described as "one of the finest recitals of i ...

Alan Frank Alan Clifford Frank (10 October 1910 – 23 June 1994), was a music publisher, clarinetist and composer, who headed the Oxford University Press Music Department between 1954 and 1975. He was married to the composer Phyllis Tate. Frank grew up in ...

Rupert Fankhauser Rupert Fankhauser is an Austrian clarinetist. He is also a lecturer at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Education Fankhauser studied clarinet at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Career In 1985, Fankhaus ...

Thomas Friedli Thomas Friedli (June 30, 1946 – April 14, 2008) was an internationally renowned Swiss clarinetist. He died in 2008 in Madeira. Biography Thomas Friedli studied in Bern, Lausanne and Paris (with Jacques Lancelot) before winning 1st Prize and ' ...

Mariano Frogioni Mariano Frogioni is an Argentine clarinetist. Frogioni is the national chairperson of the International Clarinet Association for Argentina. He taught at the National Music Conservatory of Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Aut ...

Martin Fröst Martin Fröst (born 14 December 1970) is a Swedish clarinetist and conductor. He is principal conductor of the Swedish Chamber Orchestra. He is also a developer of multimedia projects with music, choreography and light design, in which he appea ...

* Wenzel Fuchs * Peter Geisler *

Anthony Gigliotti Anthony Gigliotti (May 13, 1922December 3, 2001) was an American clarinetist and music teacher. He was one of the world's most famous and most accomplished classical clarinet players for most of the second half of the 20th century.''Ex-family feared ...

Bruno di Girolamo Bruno di Girolamo is an Italian clarinetist. Girolamo studied clarinet at the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , imag ...

Johannes Gmeinder Johannes Gmeinder (born 1976 in Konstanz) is a German clarinetist and academic. Gmeinder studied clarinet at the ''Musikhochschule'' in Trossingen and Berlin. In 1996, he won a scholarship from the Orchesterakademie of the Berlin Philharmonic Or ...

* Jose Gonzalez Granero *

Ante Grgin Ante Grgin (born 1945) is a Croatian clarinetist and composer. Education Ante Grgin was born in Kaštel Novi, PR Croatia, FPR Yugoslavia, and started his early training at the School of Music in Split. He completed his undergraduate (1969) and g ...

* Alan Hacker *

Chen Halevi Chen Halevi is an Israeli clarinettist, a native of the Negev desert. He studied the clarinet with Yitzchak Kazap and Richard Lesser, and later went on to study chamber music with Mordechai Rechtman and Chaim Taub. Debut Halevi debuted with the ...

Burt Hara Burt Hara was principal clarinetist with the Minnesota Orchestra from 1987 until 2013. He is now the Associate Principal in the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Life and career Hara is a native of California. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1 ...

* Russell Harlow *

David Hattner David Hattner is an American professional clarinetist and conductor currently serving as music director of the Portland Youth Philharmonic. Raised in Toledo, Ohio, Hattner attended the Interlochen Arts Camp and Arts Academy, experiences which in ...

* Richard Haynes * Johann Simon Hermstedt * Johann Hindler * Helmut Hödl * Emma Johnson * Sharon Kam *

Reginald Kell Reginald Clifford Kell (8 June 19065 August 1981) was an English clarinettist. He was noted especially for his career as a soloist and chamber music player. He was the principal clarinettist in leading British orchestras, including the London P ...

Murray Khouri Murray Peter Khouri (8 April 194127 October 2018) was a New Zealand and Australian clarinettist. Khouri was born in Wellington, New Zealand to parents of Lebanese descent. At age 16 he joined the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Youth Orchestra in t ...

* Thea King * Dieter Klöcker * Howard Klug * Béla Kovács * Wolfgang Kornberger * Kari Kriikku * Alison Lambert * Andrey Laukhin *

Colin Lawson Colin James Lawson (born 24 July 1949) is a British clarinettist, scholar, and broadcaster. He was born in Saltburn-by-the-Sea and educated at Bradford Grammar School. A pupil of Thea King, Lawson was a member of the National Youth Orchestra ...

Andreas Lehnert Andreas Lehnert is a German clarinetist. Lehnert was born in Augsberg, Germany, and studied at the Colleges of Music in Stuttgart and Detmold. From 1994 to 1995, he was principal clarinet with the Hessian Staatstheater Darmstadt; since 1995, he ha ...

Karl Leister Karl Leister (born 15 June 1937) is a classical clarinet player from Wilhelmshaven, Germany. At a very young age, he learned to play the clarinet from his father, also a clarinetist, and later studied at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin. As ...

* Michel Lethiec *

Lorin Levee Lorin Levee (8 July 1950 – 22 February 2012) was an American clarinetist. Levee studied clarinet at De Paul University. He played clarinet in the Grant Park Symphony, the Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra, the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, and the Am ...

Robert Lindemann Robert Lindemann (January 28, 1884 in Paderborn, German Empire, Germany – October 1975) was a German-American clarinetist. Lindemann emigrated to the United States in September 1911 at the request of composer Gustav Mahler, settling first in Mi ...

Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr (born April 14, 1936) is an American clarinetist and music educator whose contributions to the Verdehr Trio have resulted in an extensive modern body of work for the clarinet-violin-piano trio medium. Biography Born in Charl ...

* John Mahon * Jon Manasse *

Sebastian Manz Sebastian Manz (born 1986) is a German clarinetist. Life and work Sebastian Manz was born in Hanover and son of pianist Wolfgang Manz and Julia Goldstein and grandson of the Russian violinist Boris Goldstein, began studying clarinet at Musikhoc ...

* Robert Marcellus *

Michele Marelli Michele Marelli (born 18 July 1978) is an Italian clarinet and basset horn soloist. Biography Michele Marelli, who holds a major in clarinet with highest honors "Summa cum laude" from the Conservatorio Antonio Vivaldi of Alessandria, the city w ...

Andrew Marriner Andrew Marriner (born 25 February 1954MARRINER, Andrew Stephen
''Who's Who 2 ...

* Pascual Martínez-Forteza *

Lawrence Maxey Lawrence S. Maxey (most often Lawrence Maxey or just Larry Maxey) is professor emeritus of clarinet at the University of Kansas School of Music. A native of Indiana, Larry Maxey was a student of Keith Stein at Michigan State University, where he r ...

* Marco Antonio Mazzini * William McColl *

Anthony McGill Anthony McGill (born 5 February 1991) is a Scottish professional snooker player. He is a practice partner of retired snooker player Alan McManus. McGill turned professional in 2010, after finishing fourth in the 2009/2010 PIOS rankings. He wo ...

* Ralph McLane *

Jacques Meertens Jacques Meertens (born 16 April 1948) is a Dutch clarinetist. He was the principal clarinetist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra from September 1990 until his retirement in April 2013. He plays on a German Reform-Boehm system clarinet. A native ...

Douglas Metcalf Douglas R. Metcalf is an American clarinetist who has garnered acclaim as a performer and educator throughout the United States, Europe and the Middle East. Life Douglas Metcalf was born in Southwick, Massachusetts and studied with Michael Sussman ...

* Paul Meyer *

Sabine Meyer Sabine Meyer (born 30 March 1959) is a German classical clarinetist. Biography Born in Crailsheim, Baden-Württemberg, Meyer began playing the clarinet at an early age. Her first teacher was her father, also a clarinetist. She studied with Otto ...

* Wolfgang Meyer *

Lev Mikhailov Lev Mikhailov (1936―2003) was a Russian clarinetist and saxophonist. He taught clarinet and saxophone at the Moscow Conservatory. Mikhailov performed with the Moscow Radio Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre and the State Symphony ...

* Pascal Moraguès * Ricardo Morales *

Ivan Mozgovenko Ivan Panteleyevich Mozgovenko (; 13 February 1924 – 31 December 2021) was a Soviet and Russian clarinetist and music teacher. He taught clarinet as a professor at the Gnessin State Musical College. For his participation as a soldier in World W ...

Richard Mühlfeld Richard Bernhard Herrmann Mühlfeld (February 28, 1856 – June 1, 1907) was a German clarinettist who inspired Johannes Brahms and Gustav Jenner to write chamber works including the instrument. The pieces that Brahms wrote for him are the '' ...

Charles Neidich Charles Neidich (born 1953 in New York City) is an American classical clarinetist, composer, and conductor. Early career A native New Yorker of Russian and Greek descent, Charles Neidich began his clarinet studies with his father, Irving Neidich ...

Tale Ognenovski Tale Ognenovski ( mk, Тале Огненовски; April 27, 1922 – June 19, 2012) was a North Macedonia, Macedonian multi-instrumentalist who played clarinet, Recorder (musical instrument), recorder, tin whistle, bagpipe, zurna, and drums. ...

Sean Osborn Sean Osborn (born 1966) is a former clarinetist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and a regular substitute in the clarinet section of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. He has been a student of Stanley Hasty, Frank Kowalsky, and Eric Mandat. Cla ...

* Andreas Ottensamer * Ernst Ottensamer *

Karen Palacios Karen Palacios Pérez is a Venezuelan clarinetist who was part of the National System of Orchestras and the National Philharmonic of Venezuela. Palacios had her contract with the Philharmonic Orchestra canceled for having signed in the recall ...

Edward Palanker Edward Palanker is an American clarinetist and university professor. Education Mr. Palanker graduated from The Manhattan School of Music and attended the Mannes College of Music. His principal clarinet teachers where Leon Russianoff and Eric Simon ...

Antony Pay Antony Pay (born 21 February 1945 in London) is a classical clarinettist. After gaining a place with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, with whom he performed the Mozart clarinet concerto at the age of 16, he studied at the Royal Acad ...

Nicolai Pfeffer Nicolai Pfeffer (born 20 September 1985) is a German clarinetist, music editor and ordinary clarinet professor at the "Talent Music Master Courses University of Music" in Brescia, Italy. Training as a clarinetist Born in Fulda, Pfeffer beg ...

* Thomas Piercy *

Frank Pilato Frank Pilato is a retired composer, guitarist, clarinetist and sound engineer. Biography Frank Pilato (Florence, December 4, 1982) is a retired Italian composer, guitarist, clarinetist and sound engineer. He began studying music theory and c ...

* George Pieterson *

Viktor Polatschek Viktor Polatschek (29 January 1889 – 27 July 1948) was an Austrian clarinetist and clarinet teacher. He was principal clarinetist with the Vienna State Opera/the Vienna Philharmonics and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Life Vienna Born in Ch ...

* Manfred Preis *

Alfred Prinz Alfred Prinz (4 June 1930 – 20 September 2014) was an Austrian composer, clarinetist, and music educator. In 1947 he was awarded a gold medal at the Geneva Music Competition and in 1971 he won a composition award from the city of Vienna. His com ...

* Simon Reitmaier * Håkan Rosengren * Luis Rossi *

Sergei Rozanov Sergei Vasilievich Rozanov (1870–1937) was a Russian Empire clarinetist and teacher, considered to be the founder of modern Russian clarinet school. In 1886, he entered Moscow Conservatory, where his teacher was Franz Zimmermann (1818–1891), s ...

Hubert Salmhofer Hubert Salmhofer (born July 24, 1964) is an Austrian clarinetist and basset horn player. Salmhofer graduated from the Graz Music Academy in 1990. He teaches at the academy and at its specialist music school in Oberschützen, as well as at the Co ...

Louis Sclavis Louis Sclavis (born 2 February 1953) is a French jazz musician. He performs on clarinet, bass clarinet, and soprano saxophone in a variety of contexts, including avant-garde jazz, free jazz, free improvisation and contemporary classical. Life ...

* Peter Schmidl * Michael Seaver * Raphaël Sévère *

David Shifrin David Shifrin (born January 2, 1950) is an American classical clarinetist and artistic director. Biography David Shifrin received early musical training at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in 1963. He attended the Music Academy of the West su ...

* Mark Simpson * Vladimir Sokolov * Nikola Srdić * Anton Stadler *

Milenko Stefanović Milenko Stefanović (19 February 1930 – 25 July 2022) was a Serbian classical and jazz clarinetist. He was a prizewinner in the international competitions in Moscow, Munich, Geneva and Prague, and achieved an international career as a soloist. ...

Karl-Heinz Steffens Karl-Heinz Steffens (born 28 November 1961) is a German clarinetist and conductor. For the first part of his musical career, Steffens was a solo clarinetist, and also served as principal clarinet with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and t ...

Suzanne Stephens Suzanne Stephens (born July 28, 1946) is an American clarinetist, resident in Germany, described as "an outstanding performer and tireless promoter of the clarinet and basset horn". Biography Suzanne Stephens was born in Waterloo, Iowa, the dau ...

* Richard Stoltzman * Peter Sunman * Jens Thoben * Frederick Thurston * Alison Turriff * Annelien Van Wauwe * Jean-François Verdier * Richard Sidney Walthew *

Bernard Walton Bernard Walton (24 March 1917 – 3 June 1972) was a British classical clarinettist. Biography Walton was born into a musical family. His grandfather was a cellist with the Hallé Orchestra under the eponymous founder Charles Hallé, and ...

David Weber David Mark Weber (born October 24, 1952) is an American science fiction and fantasy author. He has written several science-fiction and fantasy books series, the best known of which is the Honor Harrington science-fiction series. His first nove ...

Pamela Weston Pamela Theodora Weston (17 October 1921 – 9 September 2009) was a British clarinetist, teacher and writer. Born in London, she attended Priors Field School. Following two years at the Royal Academy of Music she won a scholarship to the Guildha ...

* Michael Whight *

Jörg Widmann Jörg Widmann (born 19 June 1973) is a German composer, conductor and clarinetist. In 2018, Widmann was the third most performed contemporary composer in the world. Formerly a clarinet and composition professor at the University of Music Freibu ...

Leopold Wlach Leopold Wlach (9 September 1902 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrian clarinetist and clarinet teacher. He was solo clarinetist at the Vienna State Opera/with the Vienna Philharmonics. Life Born in Vienna, Wlach first studied clarinet at the Vienna M ...

* Harold Wright *

John Bruce Yeh John Bruce Yeh (born 1957) is an American clarinetist. He has been the assistant principal clarinetist and E-flat clarinetist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1977. Yeh is the founder and director of the chamber ensemble, Chicago Pro Mu ...

* Michele Zukovsky

Jazz and pop clarinetists

Muhal Richard Abrams Muhal Richard Abrams (born Richard Lewis Abrams; September 19, 1930 – October 29, 2017) was an American educator, administrator, composer, arranger, clarinetist, cellist, and jazz pianist in the free jazz medium. He recorded and toured the Uni ...

* George Adams * Sophie Alour (born 1974) *

Lloyd Arntzen Lloyd Arntzen (born 19 September 1927) is a jazz clarinetist, folk singer, and soprano saxophonist from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Arntzen has been an active participant on the New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,

* Georgie Auld *

Nailor Azevedo Nailor Azevedo (also known as Nailor Proveta) is a Brazilian clarinetist and saxophonist. Azevedo is a member of Banda Mantiqueira, which was nominated for a Grammy in 1998. He has performed with Benny Carter and Anita O'Day. He plays Brazilian cho ...

(also known as Proveta) *

Paulo Moura Paulo Moura (15 July 1932 – 12 July 2010) was a Brazilian clarinetist and saxophonist. Born in São José do Rio Preto, where his father was the maestro of a marching band and encouraged his son to train as a tailor, Paulo instead studied in ...

Buster Bailey William C. "Buster" Bailey (July 19, 1902 – April 12, 1967) was an American jazz clarinetist. Career history Early career Buster Bailey was taught clarinet by classical teacher Franz Schoepp, who also taught Benny Goodman. Bailey gained his ...

(1902–1967) * Craig Ball * Eddie Barefield * Alan Barnes (born 1959) * Emile Barnes *

John Barnes John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE (born 7 November 1963) is a former professional football player and manager. He currently works as an author, commentator and pundit for ESPN and SuperSport. Initially a quick, skilful left winger, he moved to ce ...

* Gary Bartz *

Alvin Batiste Alvin Batiste (November 7, 1932 – May 6, 2007) was an American avant-garde jazz clarinetist born, who was in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. He taught at his own jazz institute at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His ...

(1932–2007) * Heinie Beau *

Sidney Bechet Sidney Bechet (May 14, 1897 – May 14, 1959) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. He was one of the first important soloists in jazz, and first recorded several months before trumpeter Louis Armstrong. His erratic tempe ...

(1897–1959) *

Shloimke (Sam) Beckerman Shloimke Beckerman (c. 1884–1974) also known as Samuel Beckerman, was a klezmer clarinetist and bandleader in New York City in the early twentieth century; he was a contemporary of Dave Tarras and Naftule Brandwein. He was the father of Sid Bec ...

(1883–1974) * Sidney Beckerman (1919–2007) *

Han Bennink Han Bennink (born 17 April 1942) is a Dutch drummer and percussionist. On occasion his recordings have featured him playing soprano saxophone, bass clarinet, trombone, violin, banjo and piano. Though perhaps best known as one of the pivotal fig ...

* Derek Bermel *

Barney Bigard Albany Leon "Barney" Bigard (March 3, 1906 – June 27, 1980) was an American jazz clarinetist known for his 15-year tenure with Duke Ellington. He also played tenor saxophone. Biography Bigard was born in New Orleans to Creole parents, Ale ...

(1906–1980) *

Acker Bilk Bernard Stanley "Acker" Bilk, (28 January 1929 – 2 November 2014) was a British clarinetist and vocalist known for his breathy, vibrato-rich, lower-register style, and distinctive appearance – of goatee, bowler hat and striped waistc ...

(1929–2014) *

Chris Biscoe Chris Biscoe (born 5 February 1947, East Barnet, Hertfordshire, England) is an English jazz multi-instrumentalist, a player of the alto, soprano, tenor and baritone saxophone, the alto clarinet, piccolo and flute. Biscoe is most notable for hi ...

* Andy Biskin *

Dan Block Daniel Block is an American jazz clarinetist who has worked with artists such as Charles Mingus, Toshiko Akiyoshi and Gerry Mulligan. He is a member of the Marty Grosz Band, and also can be found in the pits of various Broadway shows in New Yor ...

Hamiet Bluiett Hamiet Bluiett (; September 16, 1940 – October 4, 2018) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. His primary instrument was the baritone saxophone, and he was considered one of the finest players of this instrument. A mem ...

Anthony Braxton Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of Ch ...

Peter Brötzmann Peter Brötzmann (born 6 March 1941) is a German saxophonist and clarinetist. Biography Early life Brötzmann was born in Remscheid, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. He studied painting in Wuppertal and was involved with the Fluxus move ...

Pud Brown Albert Francis "Pud" Brown (January 22, 1917, Wilmington, Delaware - May 27, 1996, Algiers, Louisiana) was an American jazz reed player. Though he was born in Delaware, Brown's parents raised him in Shreveport, Louisiana. Brown was fluent on ...

* Sandy Brown * Albert Burbank *

Don Byron Donald Byron (born November 8, 1958) is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist. He primarily plays clarinet but has also played bass clarinet and saxophone in a variety of genres that includes free jazz and klezmer. Biography His mother w ...

(born 1958) * Ernie Caceres *

Happy Caldwell Albert W. "Happy" Caldwell (sometimes incorrectly spelled Cauldwell) (July 25, 1903 in Chicago – December 29, 1978 in New York City) was an American jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist. Caldwell began on clarinet at age 16, playing in ...

Harry Carney Harry Howell Carney (April 1, 1910 – October 8, 1974) was a jazz saxophonist and clarinettist who spent over four decades as a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. He played a variety of instruments but primarily used the baritone saxophone ...

Benny Carter Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...

* Daniel Carter * James Carter * John Carter * John Casimir *

Evan Christopher Evan Christopher (born August 31, 1969) is an American jazz clarinetist and composer. Biography Background His first musical training was at the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts. After high school, he studied saxophone at the Universi ...

Rod Cless George Roderick Cless (May 20, 1907, in Lenox, Iowa – December 8, 1944, in New York City) was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist, perhaps best known for his work on sixteen Muggsy Spanier tunes for Bluebird Records. Additionally, Cles ...

Tony Coe Anthony George Coe (born 29 November 1934) is an English jazz musician who plays clarinet, bass clarinet, flute as well as soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones. Career Born in Canterbury, Kent, England, Coe started out on clarinet and was self- ...

Anat Cohen Anat Cohen ( he, ענת כהן, born 1975) is a New York City-based jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, and bandleader from Tel Aviv, Israel. Biography Cohen began playing clarinet and saxophone. In 1996, she studied at the Berklee College of Music ...

* Randolph Colville * Louis Cottrell Jr. *

Hank D'Amico Hank D'Amico (March 21, 1915 – December 2, 1965) was an American jazz clarinetist. Early life D'Amico was born in Rochester, New York, and was raised in Buffalo. Career D'Amico began playing professionally with Paul Specht's band in 1936. ...

Eddie Daniels Eddie Daniels (born October 19, 1941) is an American musician and composer. Although he is best known as a jazz clarinetist, he has also played saxophone and flute as well as classical music on clarinet. Early life, family and education Daniel ...

(born 1941) *

John Dankworth Sir John Phillip William Dankworth, CBE (20 September 1927 – 6 February 2010), also known as Johnny Dankworth, was an English jazz composer, saxophonist, clarinettist and writer of film scores. With his wife, jazz singer Dame Cleo Laine, he ...

Joe Darensbourg Joe Darensbourg (July 9, 1906 – May 24, 1985) was an American, New Orleans-based jazz clarinetist and saxophonist, notable for his work with Buddy Petit, Jelly Roll Morton, Charlie Creath, Fate Marable, Andy Kirk, Kid Ory, Wingy Manon ...

Kenny Davern John Kenneth Davern (January 7, 1935 – December 12, 2006) was an American jazz clarinetist. Biography He was born in Huntington, Long Island, to a family of mixed Jewish and Irish-Catholic ancestry. His mother's family originally came from ...

* Paul Dean (clarinetist) *

Buddy DeFranco Boniface Ferdinand Leonard "Buddy" DeFranco (February 17, 1923 – December 24, 2014) was an Italian-American jazz clarinetist. In addition to his work as a bandleader, DeFranco led the Glenn Miller Orchestra for almost a decade in the 1960s and ...

Tobias Delius Tobias Delius (born 15 July 1964) is a tenor saxophonist and clarinettist. Early life Delius was born in Oxford, England, on 15 July 1964. His mother was German and his father was Argentine. Delius was brought up largely in England and Germany. ...

Big Eye Louis Nelson Deslile "Big Eye" Louis Nelson Delisle (January 28, 1885 – August 20, 1949) was an American early twentieth-century Dixieland jazz clarinetist in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. He also played double bass, banjo, and accordion. Early life and e ...

Simon Flem Devold Simon Flem Devold birthname Helge Flem Devold (17 March 1929 – 20 May 2015) born in Namsos, Norway, was a Norwegian author, journalist and jazz clarinetist. When he was three years of age he and his family moved to Ålesund, where he was rais ...

(1929–2015) *

Johnny Dodds Johnny Dodds (; April 12, 1892 – August 8, 1940) was an American jazz clarinetist and alto saxophonist based in New Orleans, best known for his recordings under his own name and with bands such as those of Joe "King" Oliver, Jelly Roll Morto ...

(1892–1940) * Klaus Doldinger *

Eric Dolphy Eric Allan Dolphy Jr. (June 20, 1928 – June 29, 1964) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, bass clarinetist and flautist. On a few occasions, he also played the clarinet and piccolo. Dolphy was one of several multi-instrumentalists to ga ...

(1928–1964) *

Arne Domnérus Sven Arne Domnérus (20 December 1924 – 2 September 2008) was a Swedish jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. Career He began to play the clarinet at the age of 11 but had taken up the saxophone by the time he left school and then turned profession ...

Jimmy Dorsey James Francis Dorsey (February 29, 1904 – June 12, 1957) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer and big band leader. He recorded and composed the jazz and pop standards " I'm Glad There Is You (In This World of Ordinary Peop ...

(1904–1957) *

Tommy Douglas (clarinetist) Tommy Douglas (January 9, 1906 – March 9, 1965) was an American jazz clarinetist, bandleader, and reed instrumentalist. Early life and education Douglas was born in Eskridge, Kansas. He taught himself clarinet and saxophone in school an ...

* Paquito D'Rivera *

Gerd Dudek Gerhard Rochus "Gerd" Dudek (28 September 1938 – 3 November 2022) was a German jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist, clarinetist and flautist. Dudek studied clarinet privately and attended music school in the 1950s, before joining a big band ...

Paul Dunmall Paul Dunmall (born 6 May 1953) is a British jazz musician who plays tenor and soprano saxophone, as well as the baritone and the more exotic saxello and the Northumbrian smallpipes. He has played with Keith Tippett and Barry Guy. In the early ...

Kai Fagaschinski Kai Fagaschinski (born July 10, 1974 in Dannenberg, Lower Saxony) is a Berlin based free improvisational clarinet player and composer. He is self-taught, and his music has been described as "rooted in abstraction, but with an increasingly insi ...

Wally Fawkes Walter Ernest Fawkes (born 21 June 1924) is a British-Canadian jazz clarinetist and satirical cartoonist. As a cartoonist, he usually worked under the name "Trog" until failing eyesight forced him to retire in 2005 at the age of 81. Early hist ...

Irving Fazola Irving Fazola (December 10, 1912 – March 20, 1949) was an American jazz clarinetist. Biography Irving Henry Prestopnik was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. After receiving the nickname "Fazola", he used it as his last name. Influe ...

Buddy Featherstonhaugh Rupert Edward Lee "Buddy" Featherstonhaugh ( ; 4 October 1909 – 12 July 1976) was an English jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. Musical career Born in Paris in 1909, the son of an English marine architect and his Scottish wife. His grandfath ...

(1909–1976) *

Giora Feidman Giora Feidman ( he, גיורא פיידמן; born 25 March 1936) is an Argentine-born Israeli clarinetist who specializes in klezmer music. Biography Giora Feidman was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where his Bessarabian Jewish parents immigra ...

John Fernandes John Kiran Fernandes (born November 21, 1975) is an American multi-instrumentalist musician. Professional career Fernandes, along with several other members of the Elephant Six Collective, joined the acclaimed psychedelic pop group The Olivia T ...

Pete Fountain Pierre Dewey LaFontaine Jr. (July 3, 1930 – August 6, 2016), known professionally as Pete Fountain, was an American jazz clarinetist. Early life and education LaFontaine was born to Pierre, Sr. and Madeline, in a small Creole cottage-style f ...

(1930–2016) *

Bud Freeman Lawrence "Bud" Freeman (April 13, 1906 – March 15, 1991) was an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer, known mainly for playing tenor saxophone, but also the clarinet. Biography In 1922, Freeman and some friends from high sc ...

Chico Freeman Chico Freeman (born Earl Lavon Freeman Jr.; July 17, 1949) is a modern jazz tenor saxophonist and trumpeter and son of jazz saxophonist Von Freeman. He began recording as lead musician in 1976 with ''Morning Prayer'', won the New York Jazz Award ...

* Victor Goines *

Jimmy Giuffre James Peter Giuffre (, ; April 26, 1921 – April 24, 2008) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer, and arranger. He is known for developing forms of jazz which allowed for free interplay between the musicians, anticipating f ...

* German Goldenshtayn (

Klezmer Klezmer ( yi, קלעזמער or ) is an instrumental musical tradition of the Ashkenazi Jews of Central and Eastern Europe. The essential elements of the tradition include dance tunes, ritual melodies, and virtuosic improvisations played for l ...

) *

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His conc ...

(1909–1986) * Edmond Hall (1901–1967) *

Jimmy Hamilton Jimmy Hamilton (May 25, 1917 – September 20, 1994) was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist, who was a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Biography Hamilton was born in Dillon, South Carolina, United States, and grew up in ...

* Arville Harris *

Bob Helm Robert Marshall Helm (July 18, 1914 – September 1, 2002) was a jazz clarinetist and saxophonist. Helm was born in Fairmead, California and began playing brass instruments when he was young. He later turned to alto saxophone and by the age of 11 ...

Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his dea ...

* Peanuts Hucko *

Dink Johnson Ollie "Dink" Johnson (1892 – November 29, 1954 was a Dixieland jazz pianist, clarinetist, and drummer. Background Johnson was born in 1892, most likely in New Orleans, although the date is disputed and some sources have cited the place of b ...

(1892–1954) *

Theo Jörgensmann Theodor Franz Jörgensmann (born 29 September 1948) is a German jazz clarinetist. Activities Theo Jörgensmann belongs to the second generation of European free jazz musicians. He was part of the clarinet renaissance in the jazz and improvisi ...

(born 1948) * David Krakauer * Mustafa Kandirali (1930–2020) *

Doreen Ketchens Doreen Ketchens (born October 3, 1966) is an American jazz clarinetist who performs Dixieland and Trad Jazz. She has performed at concert halls, music festivals, and U.S. embassies, as well as in decades of weekly performances in Dixieland's tradi ...

(born 1966) * John LaPorta *

Prince Lasha William B. Lawsha, better known as Prince Lasha (), (September 10, 1929 – December 12, 2008) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, baritone saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist and English horn player. Life and career He was born in Fort Wor ...

* Margot Leverett * Walt Levinsky (1929–1999) * George Lewis (1900–1969) * Ted Lewis (1891–1971) * Matt Lavelle (bass clarinet) * Joe Maneri * Michael Marcus * Joe Marsala * Stan McDonald *

Hal McKusick Hal McKusick (June 1, 1924 – April 11, 2012) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, and flutist who worked with Boyd Raeburn from 1944 to 1945 and Claude Thornhill from 1948 to 1949. Career McKusick was born in Medford, Massachuse ...

(1924–2012) *

Mezz Mezzrow Milton Mesirow (November 9, 1899 – August 5, 1972), better known as Mezz Mezzrow, was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist from Chicago, Illinois. He is remembered for organizing and financing recording sessions with Tommy Ladnier ...

* Jean-Christian Michel (born 1938) *

Marcus Miller William Henry Marcus Miller Jr. (born June 14, 1959) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his work as a bassist. He has worked with trumpeter Miles Davis, pianist Herbie Hancock, singer Luther Vandros ...

(born 1959) *

Gabriele Mirabassi Gabriele Mirabassi is an Italian jazz clarinetist. Career He was born in Perugia and is a graduate of the Morlacchi Conservatory. His teacher told him avoid playing jazz because it would damage his technique, so at home he learned jazz on the ...

Gussie Mueller Gustave "Gussie" Mueller (April 17, 1890 – December 16, 1965) was an early jazz clarinetist. The New Orleans, Louisiana-born Mueller was a top clarinetist with Papa Jack Laine's bands in New Orleans before going to Chicago, Illinois with ...

* David Murray * Don Murray (1904–1929) *

Phil Nimmons Phillip Rista Nimmons, (born June 3, 1923) is a Canadian jazz clarinetist, composer, bandleader, and educator. Nimmons is known for playing in a "Free Jazz" and mainstream styles. As well as playing jazz, Nimmons also played other genres, notab ...

* Jimmie Noone (1895–1944) *

Alcide Nunez Alcide Patrick Nunez (March 17, 1884 – September 2, 1934), also known as Yellow Nunez and Al Nunez, was an American jazz clarinetist. He was one of the first musicians of New Orleans to make audio recordings. Biography Alcide Patrick Nunez wa ...

(1884–1934) *

Sean O'Boyle Sean Michael O'Boyle Member of the Order of Australia, AM (born 1963) is an Australian composer and conductor. His ''River Symphony'' was performed by the Queensland Orchestra and released on ABC Classics in 2007 on a CD that also included ''Co ...

(born 1963) *

Ivo Papazov Ivo Papazov (or Papasov; bg, Иво Папазов; born 16 February 1952), nicknamed Ibryama (), is a Bulgarian clarinetist. He leads the "Ivo Papazov Wedding Band" in performances of jazz-infused Stambolovo music, and is one of the premier cr ...

Art Pepper Arthur Edward Pepper Jr. (September 1, 1925 – June 15, 1982) was an American alto saxophonist and very occasional tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. Active in West Coast jazz, Pepper came to prominence in Stan Kenton's big band. He was know ...

* Ken Peplowski * Sid Phillips (1907–1973) *

Michel Portal Michel Portal (born 27 November 1935) is a French composer, saxophonist, and clarinetist. He plays both jazz and classical music and is considered to be "one of the architects of modern European jazz". Early life Portal was born in Bayonne on 2 ...

(born 1935) * Doug Richford *

Perry Robinson Perry Morris Robinson (September 17, 1938 – December 2, 2018) was an American jazz clarinetist and composer. He was the son of composer Earl Robinson. Early life and education Robinson was born and grew up in New York City. He attended the Le ...

Leon Roppolo Leon Joseph Roppolo (March 16, 1902 – October 5, 1943) was an American early jazz clarinetist, best known for his playing with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. He also played saxophone and guitar. Life and career Leon Roppolo ( nicknamed "Rap" ...

(1902–1943) *

Ned Rothenberg Ned Rothenberg (born September 15, 1956) is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer. He specializes in woodwind instruments, including the alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, and shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute). He is known ...

Harold Rubin Harold Rubin (13 May 1932 – 1 April 2020) was a South African-born Israeli artist and free jazz clarinetist. Life and career Rubin was born in Johannesburg, South Africa on 13 May 1932. He attended the Jeppe High School for Boys and received ...

(1932-2020) *

Pee Wee Russell Charles Ellsworth "Pee Wee" Russell (March 27, 1906 – February 15, 1969), was an American jazz musician. Early in his career he played clarinet and saxophones, but he eventually focused solely on clarinet. With a highly individualistic and sp ...

(1906–1969) * Dan St. Marseille (born 1962) *

Tom Sancton Thomas Alexander Sancton (a.k.a. Tom, Tommy) is an American writer, jazz clarinetist and educator. From 1992 to 2001 he was Paris bureau chief for ''TIME Magazine'', where he worked for 22 years, and he has contributed to numerous publications in ...

Tony Scott Anthony David Leighton Scott (21 June 1944 – 19 August 2012) was an English film director and producer. He was known for directing highly successful action and thriller films such as '' Top Gun'' (1986), '' Beverly Hills Cop II'' (1987), ''D ...

(1921–2007) *

Artie Shaw Artie Shaw (born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky; May 23, 1910 – December 30, 2004) was an American clarinetist, composer, bandleader, actor and author of both fiction and non-fiction. Widely regarded as "one of jazz's finest clarinetists", Shaw led ...

(1910–2004) * Harry Shields (1899–1971) *

Larry Shields Lawrence James Shields (September 13, 1893 - November 21, 1953) was an early American dixieland jazz clarinetist. He was a member of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, the first jazz band to record commercially. Background Shields was born in ...

(1893–1953) *

Omer Simeon Omer Victor Simeon (July 21, 1902 – September 17, 1959) was an American jazz clarinetist. He also played soprano, alto, and baritone saxophone and bass clarinet. Biography The son of a cigar maker, Omer Simeon was born in New Orleans, Louisian ...

(1902–1959) * Bill Smith *

Chris Speed Chris Speed (born February 12, 1967) is an American saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. Early life and career Speed grew up outside of Seattle and studied classical piano and clarinet from an early age. He later began studying jazz, took up ...

* S. Frederick Starr (born 1940) *

(born 1930) * Richard Stoltzman *

Wilbur Sweatman Wilbur Coleman Sweatman (February 7, 1882 – March 9, 1961) was an American ragtime and dixieland jazz composer, bandleader and clarinetist. Sweatman was one of the first African-American musicians to have fans nationwide. He was also a trail ...

(1882–1961) *

Antti Sarpila Antti Juhani Sarpila (born 11 June 1964) is a Finnish jazz clarinetist. He performed in a Benny Goodman-inspired style and studied under Bob Wilber. He was a part of the tribute to Benny Goodman at Carnegie Hall in 1988 and played in six American ...

* Monty Sunshine (1928-2010) *

Dave Tarras Dave Tarras (c. 1895 – February 13, 1989) was a Ukrainian-born American klezmer clarinetist and bandleader, a celebrated klezmer musician, instrumental in Klezmer revival. Biography Early life Tarras was born David Tarasiuk in Teplyk, Ukrain ...

(1897–1989) *

Frank Teschemacher Frank Teschemacher (March 13, 1906 – March 1, 1932) was an American jazz clarinetist and alto-saxophonist, associated with the "Austin High" gang (along with Jimmy McPartland, Bud Freeman and others). Early life and education He was born i ...

(1906–1932) *

Theo Travis Theo Travis (born 7 July 1964 in Birmingham, England) is a British saxophonist, flautist and composer. He is best known for being a member of Soft Machine which he joined in 2006 while the group was still using the "Legacy" suffix and for being ...

(born 1964) *

Shankar Tucker Shankar Tucker is an American clarinetist and music composer. He rose to fame with the popularity of his YouTube music channel "The ShrutiBox". He will be debuting as the music composer for the upcoming bilingual Indian feature film, 'Orey Nyabaga ...

Allan Vache Allan may refer to: People * Allan (name), a given name and surname, including list of people and characters with this name * Allan (footballer, born 1984) (Allan Barreto da Silva), Brazilian football striker * Allan (footballer, born 1989) (A ...

Ken Vandermark Ken Vandermark (born September 22, 1964) is an American composer, saxophonist, and clarinetist. A fixture on the Chicago-area music scene since the 1990s, Vandermark has earned wide critical praise for his playing and his multilayered compos ...

* Oliver Weindling (born 1955) * Michael White * Hans Olof (Putte) Wickman *

Bob Wilber Robert Sage Wilber (March 15, 1928 – August 4, 2019) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, and band leader. Although his scope covers a wide range of jazz, Wilber was a dedicated advocate of classic styles, working throughout his care ...

Lester Young Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most ...

Evan Ziporyn Evan Ziporyn (b. Chicago, Illinois, December 14, 1959) is an American composer of post-minimalist music with a cross-cultural orientation, drawing equally from classical music, avant-garde, various world music traditions, and jazz. Ziporyn h ...

{{Clarinet List

Clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitch ...