ClarinetFest® Day 3

YaoGuang Zhai Masterclass

by Riley Braase

On Friday afternoon, YaoGuang Zhai presented a a masterclass featuring two talented young artists performing selections from Widor’s Introduction and Rondo and movement three of the Mozart clarinet concerto. Zhai is currently the principal clarinetist of the Baltimore Symphony and professor of clarinet at Boston Conservatory at Berklee, and today’s Masterclass highlighted the nuance, fluidity, and expression that Zhai both demonstrates in his playing and brings out in students through his teaching. Both participants were already performing at an exceptionally high level of technical and musical skill, and Zhai worked with them to further refine the expression and phrasing in their chosen repertoire.