Clarinet Connections 2020 - The online festival that unites clarinetists worldwide

Clarinetists are accustomed to playing music with others. We gather in groups, and share ideas. Can we do this today in an era of "social isolation"? Musicians are creative types and the internet is now full of innovative performances recorded by musicians in their homes.

With many of the clarinet conferences cancelled this year, we miss the chance to interact with other clarinetists and to gather in one place. Let's do it virtually!

Please join me for Clarinet Connections 2020 - a virtual online festival with an event or two a day for two weeks in early May (probably May 2 - 17). I am inviting you to join in as contributor with a line-up of clarinet folks from all over the world. So far David Shifrin, Jose-Franch Ballester, Corrado Giufreddi, Michael Lowenstern, Ashley Smith, Jenny Maclay, Sean Perrin and Deborah Andrus have expressed interest in presenting. More invitations are pending... Details will be firmed up in the next week, but here is the concept:

• Every day there will be a featured guest (or two) presenting something of interest to the clarinet world in a 60-90 minute online Zoom session. 
• This will include an interview, perhaps stories of people or events that helped shape your clarinet journey.
• For the performers, short concerts (pre-recorded either now, or from a live concert) can be presented.
• It would be great to make this educational and share some technics to help other clarinetists learn. There will be many amateur adults and students attending who would love to learn from you.
• Finally, to have interaction with the clarinetists and participants from all over the world, we will have a question and answer session with the audience (likely from questions that they have typed into a chat box).
• I expect that we will have a few hundred people in attendance live, each session, and likely a few thousand who would watch the replays.
• Crazy idea just added - an Opening Wine & Cheese Meet and Greet. Zoom has something called Breakout rooms. Participants can bring their own wine and cheese, and every 10 minutes or so we mix them up into different groups of about 5 people to meet clarinetists from around the world. This could also feature some very short "concerts" by playing short recordings from our Artist Faculty. Could be fun!