Judith LeClair
Encyclopedia
Judith LeClair from Newark, Delaware
, is an American bassoon
ist.
She has been the principal bassoon in the New York Philharmonic
since 1981 and on the faculty at the Juilliard School
since 1985, LeClair began studying the instrument at age 11 and began her professional career at the age of 15 in a performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra playing the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante with colleagues from the Settlement Music School
in Philadelphia, where she studied with Shirley Curtiss. She studied bassoon with K. David van Hoesen
at the Eastman School of Music
, and held the principal chair in the San Diego Symphony
and San Diego Opera
for two seasons after her graduation in 1979 before winning her position with New York.
John Williams
' bassoon concerto
, The Five Sacred Trees
, was written for LeClair and her "unparalleled artistry"; she premiered it in April 1995 as part of the New York Philharmonic's 150th anniversary festivities after having chosen him to receive the commission for the piece. She currently plays a ca. 1940 Heckel bassoon. Her first teacher, an older student, owned the professional-level instrument; after he died in an accident at the age of 19, LeClair's parents bought the instrument from the boy's family; it remains her only instrument.
In addition to her orchestral career, LeClair is also an active chamber musician, and has taught numerous masterclasses. She is married to pianist Jonathan Feldman, who heads the accompanying department at Juilliard, and gave birth to son Gabriel at 41; they currently live in Haworth, New Jersey
.
Newark, Delaware
Newark is an American city in New Castle County, Delaware, west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is the home of the University of Delaware.- History :...
, is an American bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
ist.
She has been the principal bassoon in the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
since 1981 and on the faculty at the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
since 1985, LeClair began studying the instrument at age 11 and began her professional career at the age of 15 in a performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra playing the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante with colleagues from the Settlement Music School
Settlement Music School (Philadelphia)
Settlement Music School is a community music education organization with branches in and around Philadelphia. Founded in 1908, it is the largest community school of the arts in the United States serving 15,000 students each year, regardless of age, race, or financial means through outreach and at...
in Philadelphia, where she studied with Shirley Curtiss. She studied bassoon with K. David van Hoesen
K. David van Hoesen
K. David Van Hoesen is former principal bassoonist of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Professor emeritus of the University of Rochester, Eastman School of Music as chair of the Wind, Brass and Percussion Department....
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 held the principal chair in 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...
and San Diego Opera
San Diego Opera
The San Diego Opera Association is a professional opera company located in the city of San Diego, California and is a member of OPERA America. It was founded in 1950 to present productions by San Francisco Opera in the San Diego area...
for two seasons after her graduation in 1979 before winning her position with New York.
John Williams
John Williams
John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T...
' bassoon concerto
Concerto
A concerto is a musical work usually composed in three parts or movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have originated from the conjunction of the two Latin words...
, The Five Sacred Trees
The Five Sacred Trees
John Williams composed The Five Sacred Trees for Judith LeClair, the principal bassoonist of the New York Philharmonic in 1995, to honor the orchestra's 150th anniversary. The first performance was given by LeClair and the New York Philharmonic under Kurt Masur on April 13 of that year...
, was written for LeClair and her "unparalleled artistry"; she premiered it in April 1995 as part of the New York Philharmonic's 150th anniversary festivities after having chosen him to receive the commission for the piece. She currently plays a ca. 1940 Heckel bassoon. Her first teacher, an older student, owned the professional-level instrument; after he died in an accident at the age of 19, LeClair's parents bought the instrument from the boy's family; it remains her only instrument.
In addition to her orchestral career, LeClair is also an active chamber musician, and has taught numerous masterclasses. She is married to pianist Jonathan Feldman, who heads the accompanying department at Juilliard, and gave birth to son Gabriel at 41; they currently live in Haworth, New Jersey
Haworth, New Jersey
Haworth is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 3,382.Haworth was formed by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 24, 1904, from portions of both Dumont and Harrington Townships.-Geography:Haworth is...
.
Selected discography
- New York Legends (Cala Records, 1997)
- The Five Sacred Trees (Sony Classical, 1997)
- First Chairs: Cantos for Solo Instruments, "Canto XII" (Albany Records, 1998)