Pursuing a career as a master clarinetist means choosing the best educational path for your goals.
Do you dream of performing in one of the nation’s best orchestras? One of the best ensembles in the world?
Or are your ambitions more oriented toward teaching?
Several schools stand out for their exceptional clarinet performance programs, offering outstanding faculty, abundant performance opportunities, and exposure to world-renowned performers via concerts, masterclasses, and lessons.
Institutions like Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music and the New England Conservatory, for example, nurture both technical and artistic development. Both schools also have faculty members who perform in the Houston and Boston Symphonies.
They are committed to exposing clarinet students to myriad scenarios they might encounter during performances.
Here are our picks for 10 of the best clarinet performance schools in the U.S.
Remember that these 10 schools are a starting point, and the most important thing is to find the “right fit” college for you. Plenty of schools beyond these 10 could find themselves on a list like this one.
Northwestern University Bienen School of Music (Evanston, IL)
Northwestern University’s woodwinds program, established in the 1950s, boasts a distinguished faculty, with many being affiliated with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Emphasizing post-graduation success, program graduates excel in orchestras globally and hold key positions in higher education.
Notable alumni, including Mark Nuccio, Craig Nordstrom, and Gregory Smith, hold principal chair positions in major symphonies in Houston, Boston, and Chicago.
Bienen is a must-consider for clarinetists interested in pursuing a DMA in wind performance; at Northwestern, all DMA students receive a full-tuition scholarship, fully subsidized medical insurance, and a living stipend.
Aspiring clarinet players will benefit from the guidance of two clarinet titans, both members of the Bienen School of Music faculty: Stephen Williamson and Todd Levy, both holding principal chairs of major American orchestras.
Williamson’s work can be heard on various film soundtracks, and he has collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma and other internationally renowned artists.
Levy has earned four Grammy Awards, performed in Carnegie Hall as a soloist, and recorded for various record labels.
University of Southern California Thornton School of Music (Los Angeles, CA)
Clarinet students at USC can learn from one of the world’s most talented and charismatic teacher-musicians: Yehuda Gilad.
Gilad’s fascinating backstory includes playing in major orchestras across the globe, winning prizes at prestigious international clarinet competitions, and earning accolades like the Distinguished Teacher Award from the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars.
Gilad’s scholars (which include students he teaches at Colburn, another one of the best clarinet performance schools) earn roles in major orchestras in New York, Stockholm, Hong Kong, and Seoul.
The other clarinet faculty member at USC is the equally impressive David Howard, who has been a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for over four decades, since 1981.
Oberlin Conservatory of Music (Oberlin, OH)
Oberlin’s clarinet program, led by master teacher Richard Hawkins since 1990, emphasizes a collaborative studio environment.
Weekly lessons, master classes, and reed-making with clarinet reed room access are key features.
Students engage in mock orchestral auditions, fundamentals reinforcement, chamber music performances, and solo recitals, fostering a supportive atmosphere.
The ensemble experience is a centerpiece of the Oberlin curriculum, with students rotating through major ensembles.
Oberlin promotes individualized instruction, balancing technical skills and musical growth while encouraging versatility through exposure to auxiliary instruments.
Integral to student success at Oberlin is Professor Richard Hawkins, who has committed his career to educating the world’s best clarinet players. Hawkins has performed and competed everywhere, from Hot Springs, Arkansas, to Bogota, Colombia.
His graduates later take principal chair positions and leadership roles in groups like the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C.
Manhattan School of Music (New York, NY)
Outside of exceptional programming, attending school in the heart of New York City comes with its advantages.
Within walking, subway, or taxi distance to some of the most illustrious performance venues in the world, Manhattan School of Music (MSM) clarinetists can anticipate an abundance of performance opportunities as woodwind majors.
MSM clarinet players encounter international guest artists regularly, gaining industry knowledge and career guidance they might not receive at other schools.
Alumni from the MSM woodwind program maintain top positions in ensembles like the U.S. Army Band, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and Utah Symphony.
Leading the MSM clarinet program are two acclaimed musicians: David Krakauer and Charles Neidich.
Krakauer, who also teaches at the nearby Mannes College of Music, is a high-demand talent known for being a “master of all trades” in the clarinet world.
He has played in ensembles from Berlin to Tokyo and is additionally talented as a classical music singer.
Neidich is the creator of his own wind ensemble and has graced some of the world’s top stages, from Montreal to Taiwan. Between the two clarinetists, MSM students benefit from dedicated mentorship.
Juilliard School (New York, NY)
Charles Neidich additionally teaches at the Juilliard School alongside other supremely talented clarinetist professors. The Juilliard clarinet faculty represents the best of the best.
Anthony McGill – the principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic and key performer at President Obama’s inauguration – is heavily invested in the success of his students.
He also teaches at the Curtis Institute of Music, which could certainly find itself on a list like this.
Joining McGill and Neidich on campus is Jon Manasse, principal clarinet with the American Ballet Theater who has been at Juilliard since 2007.
One aspect of Juilliard that distinguishes it from its peer schools is a keyboard skills requirement for all non-keyboard music majors.
Juilliard clarinet students will spend three years training in piano playing, harmonizing, and sight-reading, among other essential skills.
An additional 24-credit liberal arts requirement leads students through a cross-curricular inquiry of literature, critical issues, philosophy, history, and foreign languages. Students have the option to pursue French, German, Italian, and Russian.
Eastman School of Music (Rochester, NY)
The Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion Department at Eastman prioritizes cultivating exceptional musicianship in students through a comprehensive approach.
Teaching focuses on fundamental aspects like posture, breathing, tone production, and ensemble skills.
Clarinet students actively participate in classes, recitals, and ensembles, including homogenous instrument groups (pioneered by trombone professor Emory Remington in 1941) – these ensembles foster a shared vision and camaraderie.
The department hosts esteemed guests and alumni like Stephen Williamson of Northwestern’s Bienen School of Music, providing valuable insights.
Passionate clarinetists will recognize Stanly Hasty and Peter Hadcock as notable Eastman School of Music alumni.
Thanks to the investment of clarinet faculty like Michael Wayne, many Eastman graduates earn principal chair roles in orchestras around the world.
Wayne himself was previously a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a graduate of the University of Michigan.
Wayne has checked several rarely achieved items off of his career bucket list, including performing at Carnegie Hall and winning multiple Grammy Awards for his projects.
UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music (Los Angeles, CA)
The UCLA Department of Music curriculum offers comprehensive undergraduate and graduate programs with concentrations in Western classical music, composition, performance, and music education.
Clarinet students engage in practical training and collaborative opportunities in large and small ensembles.
Unique to the UCLA clarinet program is the option for students to pursue a special undergraduate pathway in music education. Clarinetists can earn their teaching credentials in just four years.
Principal Clarinet of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boris Allakhverdyan, is a gem of the clarinet faculty at UCLA, bringing a wealth of experience as a renowned soloist and chamber musician.
A founding member of the Prima Trio, Allakhverdyan has earned first place in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and the Rimsky-Korsakov International Woodwind Competition.
New England Conservatory of Music (Boston, MA)
At the New England Conservatory (NEC), the woodwind program offers students unparalleled opportunities to study with world-renowned faculty, including members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
The NEC emphasizes diverse performance avenues, from solo recitals to orchestral and chamber music collaborations.
Its curriculum pushes beyond music, incorporating entrepreneurial skills, community outreach, and liberal arts education.
Honors ensembles provide a platform for outstanding groups to showcase their talent in NEC’s prestigious Jordan Hall (one of the best in the world).
The woodwind department, guided by experienced “performer-teachers,” fosters a positive and supportive environment for students of all levels.
Leading the pack of budding clarinetists is faculty member Thomas Martin, Associate Principal Clarinet of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Principal Clarinet of the Boston Pops Orchestra.
Martin’s pupils leave the NEC to take on positions at top universities and orchestras across the U.S., Canada, and Asia, in particular.
Rice University Shepherd School of Music (Houston, TX)
Clarinet students at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music have the option to participate in the BMus/MMus Honors Program, a five-year coordinated program for those demonstrating exceptional musical and academic achievements.
This program allows the concurrent completion of BMus and MMus degrees, with a minimum of 150 semester hours required.
Undergraduate and graduate clarinet students can engage in various musical opportunities, including a visiting lecturer series, professional concert series, and collaborations with renowned institutions like the Houston Symphony Orchestra and Houston Grand Opera.
A prized member of the Rice clarinet faculty, Richie Hawley is one of the most in-demand clarinet talents of his time.
Having served as Principal Clarinet of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for 17 years, Hawley is as much a skilled performer as he is a passionate educator.
President Ronald Regan presented him with the Presidential Scholar in the Arts Gold Medal, and he is even the innovator behind the very mouthpieces and reeds he uses in his performances.
Lynn University Conservatory of Music (Boca Raton, FL)
Perhaps the best hidden gem music school in the United States, all students at Lynn are recipients of a full tuition scholarship.
Lynn hires faculty members who dually teach at many of the country’s great music schools, and clarinet is no exception.
Jon Manasse, who is on the faculty at the Juilliard School and mentioned earlier in this article, is also on the faculty at Lynn University Conservatory of Music, helping foster the next generation of talent at this university.
Highlights of the program for woodwind and clarinet players include the opportunity to play in the Lynn Philharmonia and the concerto competition.
