Distinguished Hess Alumni: David Shifrin, clarinet

David Shifrin, clarinet and Marina Iwao, piano

  • Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) - Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (1942) (9’)
  • I. Grazioso
  • II. Andantino - Vivace e leggiero
  • Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) - Sonata for Clarinet and Piano. FP 184 (1962) (14')
  • I. Allegro tristamente
  • II. Romanza
  • III. Allegro con fuoco
  • Claude Debussy (1862-1918) - Premiere rhapsodie, CD 124 (1910) (8')
  • George Gershwin (1898-1937):arr. Michele Mangani - Blues on themes from American in Paris (2003) (4’)
  • Duke Ellington (1899-1974); arr. David Schiff - Clarinet Lament (2019) (4’)
  • Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) - Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (1942) (9’)
  • Leonard Bernstein's Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, written during 1941–42 and published in 1942, was Bernstein's first published piece. It is dedicated to clarinetist David Oppenheim, whom Bernstein met while studying conducting with Serge Koussevitzky at Tanglewood during the summers of 1940 and 1941. The piece is about ten minutes in length and consists of two consecutive movements. The first movement is a lyrical grazioso, opening with a musical line reminiscent of Paul Hindemith, who was the composer-in-residence at Tanglewood in 1941, and hinting at the influence of Copland and the idyllic Tanglewood atmosphere. The second movement begins andantino and moves into a fast Vivace e leggiero after a tranquil opening. This movement is predominantly in irregular time meters, meaning the beats feel constantly uneven, foreshadowing Bernstein's work in West Side Story, with a walking bass line and syncopations. Later the more reflective mood of the first movement returns, with a Latin-infused bridge passage that reflected the time Bernstein spent in Key West in the early compositional stages, before finishing in a flourish.
  • Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) - Sonata for Clarinet and Piano. FP 184 (1962) (14')
  • The Sonate pour clarinette et piano (Clarinet Sonata), FP 184, for clarinet in B♭ and piano by Francis Poulenc dates from 1962 and is one of the last pieces he completed. It is dedicated to the memory of Arthur Honegger, who like Poulenc had belonged to the group Les Six. The first movement is split into three sections in the pattern fast-slow-fast. It bears the somewhat paradoxical subtitle Allegro tristamente: accordingly, the piece is always in motion, but proceeds with a sense of grieving. The Romanza begins with a solo statement from the clarinet before it is joined by the piano’s steady accompaniment. The lyrical melody line carries a profound sense of melancholy. The finale is rambunctious and energetic, complete with percussive piano accompaniment and almost shrieking clarinet passages that create a circus-like feel. The clarinetist Benny Goodman, who commissioned the piece, intended to premiere it with the composer accompanying on piano. Sadly, Poulenc died suddenly of a heart attack on the 30th of January 1963 before the premiere. The premiere was subsequently given at New York City's Carnegie Hall by Benny Goodman and Leonard Bernstein on April 10, 1963.
  • Claude Debussy (1862-1918) - Premiere rhapsodie, CD 124 (1910) (8')
  • France’s Claude Debussy’s Première Rhapsodie for clarinet and piano was composed between December 1909 and January 1910 and was dedicated to the French clarinet professor Prosper Mimart. In 1909, Gabriel Fauré, then Director of the Conservatoire de Paris, named Debussy to its board of directors. One of Debussy's first duties was to supply two works for the next year's clarinet examinations. The Rhapsodie was first performed as part of the examinations on July 14, 1910. The original composition was for clarinet and piano. Debussy was so pleased with his composition that he published his own orchestration of the accompaniment in 1911. Both versions quickly became staples of the clarinet repertoire.
  • George Gershwin (1898-1937):arr. Michele Mangani - Blues on themes from American in Paris (2003) (4’)
  • Italian composer Michele Mangani is a brilliant composer dedicated to augmenting the repertoire of the clarinet. His arrangement of "Blues" brilliantly adapts the iconic, sultry middle trumpet solo from Gershwin’s 1928 orchestral jazz masterpiece, An American in Paris, as a recital piece for clarinet and piano. Deeply influenced by the American jazz and blues he brought with him across the Atlantic, Gershwin originally conceived the "Blues" section of An American in Paris as a languid, nostalgic reflection of his time spent roaming the streets of Paris. Mangani adapted specific motifs from Gershwin, often incorporating the original cadential ideas of legendary Italian jazz clarinetist Henghel Gualdi. “Blues” begins the homage to Gershwin with the iconic clarinet glissando from Rhapsody in Blue. (Spoiler alert!)
  • Duke Ellington (1899-1974); arr. David Schiff - Clarinet Lament (2019) (4’)
  • For the final piece, I turned to the musician that the composer/author/arranger David Schiff has called the most important American composer of the 20th century: Duke Ellington. This is a point of view that is more and more widely accepted. Not having been trained as a jazz musician, I was delighted that David Schiff arranged several works of Duke Ellington that had featured the clarinet. The great jazz pianist Darrell Grant and I performed them at a festival of Duke Ellington that was held at Reed College five years ago. This particular piece, the Clarinet Lament, is otherwise known as Barney’s concerto because it was played so amazingly by jazz clarinetist Barney Bigard with Duke Ellington’s band. It’s a fantastic recital piece and Gloria got the spirit of it. We had a wonderful time with it to close our recital a few years ago.

Winner of both the Avery Fisher Career Grant (1987) and the Avery Fisher Prize (2000) David Shifrin is in constant demand as soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. He has appeared with many of the major orchestras in the United States and abroad and has served as principal clarinetist with the Cleveland Orchestra, American Symphony Orchestra (under Stokowski), Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and others. As soloist Shifrin has performed throughout the world including recitals at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and the Library of Congress. Notable concerto performances include the Philadelphia Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Houston Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Denver Symphony Orchestra, orchestras in China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Switzerland, Germany and Italy.

A sought-after chamber musician, he collaborates frequently with distinguished ensembles and artists. Shifrin has performed with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center since 1982 and served as its artistic director from 1992 to 2004. He served as artistic director of Chamber Music Northwest in Portland, OR From 1981-2000 and currently serves as artistic director of the Phoenix Chamber Music Festival.

At Yale, Shifrin teaches a studio of graduate-level clarinetists and coaches chamber music ensembles. He is also the Artistic Director of Yale’s Oneppo Chamber Music Series and the Yale in New York concert series. Previously, Shifrin served on the faculties of the Juilliard School, University of Southern California, University of Michigan, Cleveland Institute of Music and the University of Hawaii.

Mr. Shifrin’s recordings for Delos, DGG, Angel/EMI, Arabesque, BMG, SONY, CRI, Musica Solis have consistently garnered praise and awards. He has received three Grammy nominations – for a collaborative recording with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center of the collected chamber music of Claude Debussy (Delos), the Copland Clarinet Concerto (Angel/EMI) and Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro with Nancy Allen, Ransom Wilson, and the Tokyo String Quartet (Angel/EMI). His recording of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto with the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, performed in its original version on a specially built basset clarinet, was named Record of the Year by Stereo Review. David Shifrin can be heard on two albums with the late composer Lalo Schifrin; “Shifrin Plays Schifrin” and “Letters from Argentina” (nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2007). In 2023 David Shifrin’s recording of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra with Chamber Music Northwest on the Delos Label was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” From the Library of Congress. His most recent release is on the Music Solis Label is the critically acclaimed “Perpetual Motion”- music of Francis Poulenc.

Shifrin performs on clarinets made by Morrie Backun in Vancouver, Canada and Légère premium synthetic reeds made in Ontario, Canada.

Marina Iwao is a Japanese-born pianist acclaimed for her nuanced artistry, expressive range, and deep commitment to ensemble playing. Praised for her sensitivity, clarity, and versatility, she has collaborated with distinguished artists such as Frank Morelli, David Shifrin, Quatuor Debussy, Tara O’Connor, and Daniel Phillips, among many others.

An avid chamber musician, she performs regularly in recitals and at festivals across the United States. Recent highlights include a fall 2025 tour with clarinetist David Shifrin and appearances at Music from Angel Fire in New Mexico. She gave the world premiere of Sonata for Clarinet and Piano by Margaret Brouwer with clarinetist Thomas Piercy at the 2023 International ClarinetFest in Denver.

Marina brings the same depth of interpretation and artistic commitment to both classical and contemporary repertoire, building meaningful connections with music of all eras. She is a member of Random Access Music, a New York City–based collective of composers and performers. She also performs with the Dolphins Quartet, winner of the 2026 Chesapeake Chamber Music Competition Lerman Gold Prize, in live screenings of Buster Keaton films featuring original scores by Stephen Prutsman.

Marina’s dedication to ensemble playing began early. In high school, long before encountering the term “collaborative piano,” she discovered a deep joy in accompanying friends — a passion that would shape her artistic identity. She earned her Master of Music degree in Collaborative Piano from The Juilliard School, where she studied with Jonathan Feldman and Lydia Brown. Her summer festival experience includes the Bowdoin International Music Festival, the Music Academy of the West, and a two-year fellowship at the Yale School of Music from 2022 to 2024.

In addition to her active performing career, Marina is a devoted educator. She has served on the faculty of the New England Music Camp and the Philadelphia International Music Festival. She currently serves as a staff pianist at The Juilliard School and Kaufman Music Center, and teaches chamber music at the School for Strings in New York City.

About the Dame Myra Hess Concerts

The concerts are generously sponsored by the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council and by individual donors.

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