Charles Neidich
Encyclopedia
Charles Neidich is an American classical clarinetist, composer
, and conductor.
n and Greek
descent, Charles Neidich began his clarinet
studies with his father, Irving Neidich, at the age of eight, and continued them with the renowned teacher Leon Russianoff and, later in Moscow
, with Boris Dikov. His reputation has grown steadily since his 1974 New York recital début while still a student at Yale
. A series of prizes helped launch his early career: the Silver Medal in the 1979 Geneva International Music Competition
, Second Prize in the 1982 Munich International Competition and one of three Grand Prizes in the 1984 Accanthes International Competition in Paris. In 1985, he won the first major clarinet competition in the United States, the Walter W. Naumburg Competition
, which catapulted him into prominence as a soloist.
, concertos of Weber and Copland, the Soireestücke of Robert Schumann
, and the Andante and Allegro of Ernest Chausson
. Mr. Neidich is also an ardent exponent of new music and has premiered works by Milton Babbitt
, Elliott Carter
, Edison Denisov
, Helmut Lachenmann
, William Schuman
, Ralph Shapey
, Joan Tower
, Katia Tchemberdji, Vasilii Lobanov and others. He has championed John Corigliano
's Concerto, performing it throughout the United States notably with the Syracuse
and Jacksonville Symphonies
in performances. Charles Neidich has made numerous recordings on both modern and historical instruments, both as soloist and with his period-instrument wind ensemble Mozzafiato.
Mr. Neidich has turned his attention to conducting, and has appeared with the Avanti chamber Orchestra, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Helsinki, the Kirishima Festival in Japan, with the New World and the San Diego Symphony
(in a triple role of conductor, soloist, and composer), and in Bulgaria with the Plovdiv
State Philharmonic.
From 1985 to 1989 he was professor of clarinet at the Eastman School of Music
, and is currently on the faculty of the Juilliard School of Music, the Manhattan School of Music
, Mannes College The New School for Music, and CUNY Queens College
.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, and conductor.
Early career
A native New Yorker of RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n and Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
descent, Charles Neidich began his clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
studies with his father, Irving Neidich, at the age of eight, and continued them with the renowned teacher Leon Russianoff and, later in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, with Boris Dikov. His reputation has grown steadily since his 1974 New York recital début while still a student at Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. A series of prizes helped launch his early career: the Silver Medal in the 1979 Geneva International Music Competition
Geneva International Music Competition
The Geneva International Music Competition is a music competitions held in Geneva, founded in 1939 in the Geneva Conservatory for a wide variety of instruments, voice, conducting, and chamber music.-See also:* List of classical music competitions* World Federation of International Music...
, Second Prize in the 1982 Munich International Competition and one of three Grand Prizes in the 1984 Accanthes International Competition in Paris. In 1985, he won the first major clarinet competition in the United States, the Walter W. Naumburg Competition
Walter W. Naumburg Foundation
The Walter W. Naumburg Foundation sponsors competitions and provides awards for young classical musicians in North America. It was founded in 1925 by Walter Wehle Naumburg, a wealthy amateur cellist and son of noted New York music patron and philanthropist Elkan Naumburg. Elkan Naumburg, owner of...
, which catapulted him into prominence as a soloist.
Accomplishments
Mr. Neidich has been influential in restoring original versions of works and bringing them before the public. A list of the clarinet classics he has restored to their original form includes works as diverse as the Mozart ConcertoClarinet Concerto (Mozart)
Mozart's Clarinet concerto in A major, K. 622 was written in 1791 for the clarinetist Anton Stadler.It consists of the usual three movements, in a fast–slow–fast form:# Allegro# Adagio# Rondo: Allegro...
, concertos of Weber and Copland, the Soireestücke of Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
, and the Andante and Allegro of Ernest Chausson
Ernest Chausson
Amédée-Ernest Chausson was a French romantic composer who died just as his career was beginning to flourish.-Life:Ernest Chausson was born in Paris into a prosperous bourgeois family...
. Mr. Neidich is also an ardent exponent of new music and has premiered works by Milton Babbitt
Milton Babbitt
Milton Byron Babbitt was an American composer, music theorist, and teacher. He is particularly noted for his serial and electronic music.-Biography:...
, Elliott Carter
Elliott Carter
Elliott Cook Carter, Jr. is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer born and living in New York City. He studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris in the 1930s, and then returned to the United States. After a neoclassical phase, he went on to write atonal, rhythmically complex music...
, Edison Denisov
Edison Denisov
Edison Vasilievich Denisov was a Russian composer of so called "Underground" — "Anti-Collectivist", "alternative" or "nonconformist" division in the Soviet music.-Biography:...
, Helmut Lachenmann
Helmut Lachenmann
Helmut Lachenmann is a German composer associated with musique concrète instrumentale.-Life and works:...
, William Schuman
William Schuman
William Howard Schuman was an American composer and music administrator.-Life:Born in Manhattan in New York City to Samuel and Rachel Schuman, Schuman was named after the twenty-seventh U.S. president, William Howard Taft, although his family preferred to call him Bill...
, Ralph Shapey
Ralph Shapey
Ralph Shapey was an American composer and conductor. He is well-known for his work as a composition professor at the University of Chicago, where he founded and directed the Contemporary Chamber Players...
, Joan Tower
Joan Tower
Joan Tower is a Grammy-winning contemporary American composer, concert pianist and conductor. Lauded by the New Yorker as "one of the most successful woman composers of all time", her bold and energetic compositions have been performed in concert halls around the world...
, Katia Tchemberdji, Vasilii Lobanov and others. He has championed John Corigliano
John Corigliano
John Corigliano is an American composer of classical music and a teacher of music. He is a distinguished professor of music at Lehman College in the City University of New York.-Biography:...
's Concerto, performing it throughout the United States notably with the Syracuse
Syracuse Symphony Orchestra
The Syracuse Symphony Orchestra was a 79 member orchestra located in Syracuse, NY. In its time it was the 43rd largest orchestra in the United States and performed a variety of programs including the Post-Standard Classics Series and M&T Bank Pops Series....
and Jacksonville Symphonies
Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra
The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Jacksonville, Florida. Widely recognized for its high artistic quality, the JSO ranks among the nation’s top 30 to 40 orchestras in terms of number of performances and population served...
in performances. Charles Neidich has made numerous recordings on both modern and historical instruments, both as soloist and with his period-instrument wind ensemble Mozzafiato.
Mr. Neidich has turned his attention to conducting, and has appeared with the Avanti chamber Orchestra, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Helsinki, the Kirishima Festival in Japan, with the New World and the San Diego Symphony
San Diego Symphony
The San Diego Symphony is an American symphony orchestra, based in San Diego, California. On 6 December 1910, it gave its first concert as the San Diego Civic Orchestra.Currently, the Symphony performs over 100 concerts each season...
(in a triple role of conductor, soloist, and composer), and in Bulgaria with the Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
State Philharmonic.
From 1985 to 1989 he was professor of clarinet at the Eastman School of Music
Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is a music conservatory located in Rochester, New York. The Eastman School is a professional school within the University of Rochester...
, and is currently on the faculty of the Juilliard School of Music, the Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
, Mannes College The New School for Music, and CUNY Queens College
Queens College, City University of New York
Queens College, located in Flushing, Queens, New York City, is one of the senior colleges of the City University of New York. It is also the fifth oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning. The college's seventy seven acre campus is located in the heart of the...
.