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| David Shifrin | |
|---|---|
| Name | David Shifrin |
| Birth date | 1949 |
| Birth place | Seattle, Washington |
| Occupation | Clarinetist, educator |
| Years active | 1970s–present |
David Shifrin is an American classical clarinetist, chamber musician, soloist, and educator renowned for his interpretations of standard and contemporary repertoire. He has been principal clarinetist with leading orchestras, appeared as soloist with major ensembles, and served on the faculties of prominent conservatories. His career intersects with orchestras, festivals, composers, conductors, and institutions across North America, Europe, and Asia.
Shifrin was born in Seattle and raised amid the cultural scenes of Seattle, Washington State, and the Pacific Northwest. He studied clarinet with teachers linked to the traditions of New York, Chicago, Boston, and Cleveland conservatories, attending preparatory programs associated with Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, and Cleveland Institute of Music influences. He completed formal training at institutions connected to Yale University, Princeton University, and conservatory faculties affiliated with Curtis Institute of Music and later pursued advanced study through masterclasses connected to Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Tanglewood Music Center.
Shifrin served as principal clarinetist of the Cleveland Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic-affiliated ensembles in his early professional life, and later held principal positions with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra-associated groups and numerous regional orchestras. He co-founded and performed with chamber ensembles that collaborated with artists from Guarneri Quartet, Emerson Quartet, Juilliard Quartet, Borodin Quartet, and soloists linked to Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Martha Argerich, Pinchas Zukerman, and Anne-Sophie Mutter. Shifrin has performed as soloist under conductors such as Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, Kurt Masur, Pierre Boulez, Riccardo Muti, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Alan Gilbert, appearing with orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, and international ensembles like the London Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.
He has been invited to festivals and venues such as Tanglewood, Aldeburgh Festival, Salzburg Festival, Princeton Festival, Aspen Music Festival and School, Ravinia Festival, Verbier Festival, Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, and Wigmore Hall. Shifrin premiered works by composers associated with John Adams, Elliott Carter, Samuel Barber, George Benjamin, Oliver Knussen, Steven Stucky, Paul Schoenfield, John Corigliano, Gunther Schuller, and Osvaldo Golijov.
Shifrin's discography spans solo, chamber, and concerto recordings on labels connected to Sony Classical, Deutsche Grammophon, Nonesuch Records, Decca Records, BMG, Bridge Records, and New World Records. His repertoire includes clarinet concertos by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Carl Maria von Weber, Johannes Brahms (chamber works), Igor Stravinsky (chamber pieces), Béla Bartók (chamber repertory), and twentieth-century works by Igor Stravinsky, Olivier Messiaen, Aaron Copland, and Paul Hindemith. He has recorded chamber cycles with pianists and string players linked to Leif Ove Andsnes, Emanuel Ax, Mitsuko Uchida, Yo-Yo Ma, Gil Shaham, Joshua Bell, and ensembles associated with The Cleveland Orchestra and The Philadelphia Orchestra musicians. His premieres and recordings include commissions from institutions connected to Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Library of Congress, New York City Ballet, and university presses affiliated with Harvard University, Yale University Press, and similar scholarly outlets.
Shifrin has taught at conservatories and universities such as Yale School of Music, The Juilliard School, Mannes School of Music, Eastman School of Music, Rice University (Shepherd School of Music), and summer programs like Tanglewood Music Center and Aspen Music Festival and School. His students have occupied positions with orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and major regional orchestras across the United States. He has given masterclasses at institutions such as Curtis Institute of Music, Royal College of Music, Conservatoire de Paris, Moscow Conservatory, Hochschule für Musik-affiliated schools, and conservatories in China, Japan, South Korea, and Australia.
Shifrin's recognitions include prizes and honors awarded by organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts, Guggenheim Foundation, Grammy Awards-associated nominations, and grants from foundations connected to Carnegie Corporation of New York and Rockefeller Foundation. He has been recognized with awards from societies such as the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Chamber Music America, and institutions linked to Lincoln Center. Honorary degrees and named chairs have been bestowed by universities including Yale University and conservatory affiliates tied to Juilliard and Eastman School of Music-related departments.
Shifrin's influence extends through collaborations with a network of performers, composers, and institutions spanning New York City, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, and Vienna. His legacy is evident in the careers of protégés who serve in orchestras and conservatories, in recordings preserved by archives at Library of Congress and institutional collections at Juilliard School and Yale University, and in the repertoire expanded by commissions tied to contemporary composers and ensembles. He participates in panels and boards associated with Chamber Music America, Music Teachers National Association, League of American Orchestras, and festival advisory committees at Tanglewood and Aspen.
Category:American clarinetists Category:Classical musicians from Washington (state)