Clarinet
Our clarinet program offers a collaborative studio environment for weekly lessons, master classes of solo, chamber, and orchestral excerpt study, and reed making with clarinet reed room access. Students work closely with master teacher Richard Hawkins, who since 1990 has developed some of the most notable performers and teachers in the field of clarinet today.
Program Facts
- Program Type: Major, Performance Diploma, Artist Diploma
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- Bachelor of Music (BM)
- Performance Diploma (PDip)
- Artist Diploma (ADip)
- Division: Winds, Brass, and Percussion
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Master Classes
Weekly studio classes and regular master classes for clarinet students involve mock orchestral auditions, reinforcement of fundamentals, chamber music performances, solo recital performances, guest master classes, and many other types of performance opportunities. We encourage students to support their colleagues with positive and constructive feedback. Oberlin cultivates a learning environment in which students are open to making mistakes without consequence in larger public performances.
Master Classes at OberlinOpportunities for Clarinet
Ensemble experience is an essential component of Oberlin’s professional training; starting in the first semester, each student is assigned to and rotated through the major ensembles, one person per part. Clarinet students may pursue solo performances through the annual Concerto Competition and can play in at least six of the more than two dozen performance ensembles on campus.
Private Study
Individualized instruction is a hallmark of the conservatory. Students learn the art of balancing technical skills with natural musical growth and experience. The chief goal through private study is to help students progress in all phases of performing: technique, style, musicianship, interpretation, and repertoire. Clarinet students have access to and instruction on auxiliary instruments including E-flat, bass, and basset clarinets. This exposure ensures that Oberlin woodwind students are prepared for the greatest possible variety of professional opportunities.
Time to Play
We place first-year students among returning students equally and fairly within the sections of all ensembles. We nurture them in a collaborative studio environment to inspire personal growth and development. Through orchestral, chamber music, jazz, improvisational, and historical through contemporary music for the clarinet, we encourage versatility and provide immense breadth of experience.
Clarinet Faculty
Conservatory faculty maintain active performance schedules while remaining accessible and committed to their students. Individual instruction is paramount to helping students develop their mechanical, technical, stylistic, psychological, and musical skills.
“Preparing students for today’s music field is ever-changing. Oberlin provides an atmosphere of growth and preparation for my undergraduate students to expand their musical knowledge. It is my aim to present traditional and modern teaching methods to prepare each individual to find their career path while promoting a healthy and happy environment to work with their peers.”
Richard Hawkins, Professor of Clarinet
Clarinet News
Oberlin Alumni Win Grammys at 63rd Annual Awards Ceremony
March 15, 2021
Alumni Connections Series Welcomes Victoria Theodore ’89 and Peter Flint ’92
February 15, 2021
Concerto Competition Winners Take Center Stage in April, May
March 29, 2018
Life After Oberlin
Clarinet and double-degree graduates are prepared to pursue professional music careers as soloists or with a range of ensembles—from major orchestras to contemporary chamber groups; many earn principal appointments. Others work in schools, conservatories, and in all facets of society.
Notable Oberlin Alumni
Benjamin Chen ’18
Principal Clarinet, Kennedy Center Opera House (Washington, D.C.)
Lin Ma ’11
Principal Clarinet, National Symphony Orchestra (Washington, D.C.)
Boris Allakhverdyan ’06
Principal Clarinet, Los Angeles Philharmonic