Originally published in The Clarinet 51/3 (June 2024).

Copies of The Clarinet are available for ICA members.

ClarinetFest® 2024

by Jason Adler

Grab your passports and get ready for ClarinetFest® 2024 in Dublin! The event will be held July 31 to August 4 at the Convention Centre Dublin, and is the first ClarinetFest® held outside of the United States since 2018 in Ostend, Belgium. The artistic leaders are looking forward to welcoming everyone to Ireland with the theme Every Clarinetist is Connected, where we will celebrate Culture, Heritage and Music from Around the World. In total over 270 clarinetists and ensembles, representing 42 different countries, will perform recitals, present lectures and workshops, and give master classes. ClarinetFest® will also feature our competitions for young artists, high school, orchestral auditions, and research, with several clarinet choirs available to join, including the Festival Choir, Amateur/Enthusiasts Choir, Youth Choir (MS/HS), Collegiate Choir, Professors Choir, and unique to this year, a Low Clarinet Choir! The various ICA committees will be represented with roundtable discussions or presentations relating to their committee theme. And of course, the exhibition hall will be open with vendors from across all facets of clarinetting including instruments, mouthpieces, ligatures, reeds, cases, and other accessories for attendees to try and buy.

Samuel Beckett Bridge, Dublin, Ireland

Wednesday July 31

Registration will begin on Wednesday morning at the CCD. Be sure to arrive early to avoid the queues (that’s what we call lines in Ireland) because events will begin from 13:00 (we also use 24-hour time in Europe!) with several concerts from members of the ICA board and clarinet choirs, and a master class. At 16:00 we’ll have our opening headline concert “Irish Postcards,” featuring music from Irish composers and performers curated by Paul Roe. Afterwards we’ll have another hour of concerts, including Jeff Anderle, Jon Russell, and Michael Lowenstern performing together before a dinner break. The Research Competition will also be held on Wednesday. Our first evening concert at 20:00 will feature the British Clarinet Ensemble with soloists Nicholas Baldeyrou, William Curran, Lara Diaz, Anne Harper, Anna Hashimoto, Mark O’Brien, and Berginald Rash.

Thursday August 1

Every morning at 8:00 the Enthusiasts Committee will lead a Warm-Up Session for those wanting to get a good start to the day! The Young Artist Competition will also begin Thursday morning, and the exhibition hall will open for all your clarinet swag needs. The recitals will commence with a variety of performers including Macdara Ó Seireadáin from the RTÉ Irish Radio and Television Concert Orchestra, and an appearance from 2023 ICA Honorary Member Mitchell Estrin. The Youth Involvement and Enthusiasts Committees will also give presentations. The ClarinetFest® at Noon concert will feature Stefanie Gardner performing solo bass clarinet and playing with the Paradise Winds wind quintet. Every day at 13:00 there will be an hour-long lunch break for everyone to grab some food and have a chance to visit the exhibition hall without missing any events. After lunch the Orchestral Competition will begin, the DEIA Committee will have their presentation, and another master class will be given as the scheduled recitals also continue. The ClarinetFest® at 5 concert will feature Maura Marinucci, the new Principal of the Philharmonia orchestra in London. We’re very excited for our Thursday evening World Music concert with performances by the Klezmer-fusion band Jerusafunk and Andy Lamy performing Irish trad on clarinet with local musicians.

Friday August 2

Friday morning we’re back with the 8:00 Warm-Up Session and a Professors Choir rehearsal. The events continue throughout the day, and of course the exhibition hall is open again. István Kohán will give a master class and another 2023 Honorary Member, Eric Hoeprich, will perform. The College and Pre-Professional Committee and New Music Committee will have their presentations Friday morning as well. The ClarinetFest® at Noon concert will be presented by the Coro de Clarinetes de México. After lunch the High School Competition kicks off and we’ll have performances from more 2023 Honorary Members, Michael Webster and Caroline Hartig. The Jazz and World Music Committee will give their presentation and the ICA General Meeting will be held. Friday’s ClarinetFest® at 5 concert will be something extraordinary as we have a drag performance by Clair Annette (Vince Dominguez). The evening concert will showcase bass clarinet legend Michael Lowenstern and jazz clarinetist Arun Ghosh with his band.

Saturday August 3

Saturday morning starts with the Warm-Up Session and Professors and High School Choir rehearsals. The Young Artist Competition Final commences at 9:00 and there will also be a master class and Pedagogy Committee presentation in the morning. The ClarinetFest® at Noon concert will feature both Mozart clarinet quintets, performed by Nicola Bulfone and Ivan Viller Sanz with the ConTempo String Quartet. All of the festival clarinet choirs will perform in the afternoon and the Health and Wellness Committee will have their presentation. The ClarinetFest® at 5 concert will feature István Kohán followed by the ICA Awards Ceremony. ConTempo will be back in the evening concert performing quintets with Selin Gürol, Manuel Hernadez, Shannon Kiewitt, and Sacha Rattle.

Sunday August 4

Make sure to stay through Sunday, as we have some great events planned with a focus on bass clarinet! In another full morning of events, we’ll have some new works by Cornelius Boots, formerly of one of the world’s first bass clarinet quartets Edmund Welles, and a concert of Donatoni’s solo works for clarinet, bass clarinet, and contrabass clarinet. Jon Russell’s bass clarinet ensemble Improbable Beasts will headline the ClarinetFest® at Noon concert and you can catch the Egide Duo while we set up for the final ClarinetFest® 2024 event, a Low Clarinet Choir for everyone to join, so be sure to bring your bass or contra clarinet!

Enjoying Dublin

While in Dublin, don’t forget to make some time to visit some of the sights like the Book of Kells and Trinity College, the Guinness Brewery and Jameson Distillery, Temple Bar, Dublin Castle, the National Museum, and the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum.

Accommodations

There are two conference hotels available, The Samuel Hotel and Gibson Hotel. Additionally, Trinity College will have some dorm rooms available. Beyond this, there are many B&Bs available in Dublin.