OUR MISSION
Clarinet M@estro is currently an online, clarinet festival that holds concerts, open forums, master classes, workshops, and private lessons with world-class clarinetists. Our mission at Clarinet M@estro is to provide our students with invaluable learning, performing and networking opportunities and in the process, perpetuate and propagate the teaching philosophies of master teacher, Maestro Yehuda Gilad. We strive to make this highly sought-after learning accessible to a wide range of socio-economic and diverse backgrounds. Through our partnership with Buffet Crampon, Vandoren and the help of gracious donors, we are able to offer scholarships and financial aid to our students. Our classes are available to watch anywhere around the world at a very reasonable price. In sharing the special bond of being all former students of Gilad, the faculty provides a comprehensive and cohesive education that leaves the student with a clear understanding of Gilad’s fundamental concepts.
Benjamin Adler, artistic director, was first inspired by Gilad’s weekly, now online, masterclasses. Gilad was gracious enough to share this online class with his former students. Adler saw the joy, enthusiasm and community of Gilad’s virtual master class, and became excited about the prospect of spreading the wisdom gained from years of study.
The festival will host and present through Zoom, Facetime and Skype, and engage through various social media platforms. In these challenging times, we have decided to grow and change how music can be shared. There is a demand for online learning opportunities, and this program will provide that. We believe that through connecting with each other and inspiring one another as the Maestro has taught us, we can connect with our humanity and help each other pull through. The human connection is important to us, and we will hold faculty benefit concerts in which all proceeds, through online viewers, go towards charitable organizations. This year, we will focus on Covid-19 relief efforts, and while we know that music alone cannot change these circumstances, we do believe that our festival can positively impact the lives of those involved and those that we can reach with our music.
The current circumstances dictate that we operate online this year, however, we intend to hold this festival for years to come. We aspire to establish this as an in-person festival in the future with the continued option of viewing online. Maestro Gilad is a major part of this festival and we are excited to share the principles he instilled in us as well as what we have learned through our own education and experiences.