Originally published in The Clarinet 50/1 (December 2022).
Printed copies of The Clarinet are available for ICA members.
CLARINETFEST® 2022
This report from ClarinetFest® 2022 in Reno, Nevada, offers a look at the ICA’s first in-person festival since 2019.
by Sarah Manasreh
After three years of being apart, the ICA community gathered at ClarinetFest® 2022 June 29–July 3, 2022, at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada. Artistic Director Christy Banks was assisted by members of the Artistic Leadership Team—Joshua Anderson, Soo Goh, and Jessica Lindsey—alongside the ICA board of directors and staff. The excitement was palpable at the conference, appropriately themed “Connecting People, Ideas, and Cultures.” The ClarinetFest® 2022 program was brimming with interesting and diverse presentations, master classes, themed potpourri concerts, and stunning performances. Each event was surrounded by warm reunions of returning members and eager curiosity of first-time attendees. From beginning to end, the festival was a celebration of resilience, connection, and making and enjoying music together.
True to its theme of connection, ClarinetFest® also had hybrid events for those who couldn’t come to Reno. The Pedagogy Pathways Programming, hosted by the ICA Pedagogy Committee on Friday, July 1, brought live-streamed continuing education and pedagogy presentations to clarinetists throughout the world. Other opportunities to connect included Q&A sessions with headlining artists, ClariConversation sessions, and numerous student and professional clarinet choirs.
ClarinetFest® would not have been possible without the generous sponsors of 2022. At the Altissimo level: Buffet Crampon, D’Addario Woodwinds, F. Arthur Uebel, Henri Selmer Paris, Rovner Products Inc., Yamaha Corporation of America; at the Clarion level: ALRY Publications, Backun Musical Services, Chedeville, Lisa’s Clarinet Shop, Royal Global, RZ Clarinets, Silverstein Works; at the Chalumeau level, B. Corbin Clarinet Products, Midwest Musical Imports; and at the Supporting level: University of Nevada Reno, Steinway Piano Gallery Reno.
ClarinetFest® 2022 was nothing short of invigorating. We are delighted to share a few of these incredible events in photos. Please share your favorite memories from this year’s festival with us on Facebook and Instagram using #clarinetfest2022 and be sure to tag us @icaclarinet. You can find more detailed reports of headlining performances, master classes, and competitions on The Clarinet [Online] at https://clarinet.org/resources/the-clarinet-online.
ClarinetFest® 2022 was held in the Peppermill Casino and Resort
Opening remarks by ICA President Denise Gainey, with Artistic Director Christy Banks, President-Elect Diane Barger, and Treasurer Kip Franklin
Audience at the opening remarks in the Tuscany Ballroom
Artistic team at the awards ceremony: Christy Banks, Joshua Anderson, and Soo Goh
Andrea Vos-Rochefort
Stephen Williamson performingAaron Copland’s Concerto with the Reno Philharmonic conducted by Jason Altieri.
Clarinet Choir Concert: Vanguel Tangarov conducting the Festival Clarinet Choir
Composition Competition Winners 2020 & 2021: Andy Hudson, clarinet, and Gail Novak, piano, performing Fires of Hades for clarinet and piano by Paul Vowles
Felix Peikli with Samantha Kopec and Alejandra Vega Roque
Executive director Jessica Harrie presents a new piece by Jenni Brandon for E-flat clarinet, B-flat clarinet, and piano, commissioned by the ICA in honor of outgoing president Denise Gainey and incoming president Diane Barger.
Clarinetist Andrew Simon performing new arrangements of operatic solos with the Dalí Quartet in the Tuscany Ballroom
Band of the Golden West Clarinet Quartet: TSgt Randolph Palada, SSgt Alaina Shaw, SrA Clarissa Osborn, A1C Andrew Compton
Goldman performing at the opening concert
Jeremy Ruth performing Superclarinet, Who? by Meyer Kupferman
Theodore Johnson Tribute: Kirsten Ahnell, clarinet, and Sean Raley, piano, performing Carnival of Venice Theme and Variations by Paul Jeanjean arranged for E-flat clarinet and piano
Former ICA presidents participate in a roundtable discussion for a video to be presented at
ClarinetFest® 2023 (left to right): Alan Stanek, Keith Koons, Lee Livengood, Robert Spring,
John Cipolla, Gary Whitman, and Charles West
Kathrine Vetter, clarinet, and Laura Davey, piano.
Sarah Korniesel-Jaegers and Vanessa Klassen performing for “A Tribute to James Cohn”
ICA Treasurer Kip Franklin with pianist James Winn
Bass clarinetist Sarah Watts performing On Shapes and Figures by Jessica Mays with the Dalí String Quartet
