Ron Samuels, principal clarinet
“a highly captivating musical presence”
The Los Angeles Times
“performs skillfully and stylishly with verve and impressive musicianship”
Fanfare
“rare beauty of performance”
American Record Guide
Ron Samuels has held the Peninsula Music Festival's Robert Marcellus Endowed Principal Clarinet Chair since 2001. Previously, he appeared with the PMF as 3rd and bass clarinetist dating back to 1988.
Also in 2001, Ron was appointed 2nd clarinetist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra by the eminent conductor Mariss Jansons. He has also served as principal clarinetist of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra and as a guest principal clarinetist with the Minnesota Orchestra.
A native of San Francisco, Ron has enjoyed a richly varied career as a symphonic musician, chamber music and concerto soloist, and as a collegiate professor and master class clinician. He graduated from the University of Southern California where he studied with Mitchell Lurie and where he has frequently returned as a guest lecturer. A year after graduation, he won an audition for the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, a post he held for six seasons.
In addition to appearances on chamber music and recital series throughout the United States, Ron has been a featured soloist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on their Chamber Orchestra Series, the Toledo Symphony Orchestra on several occasions, as well as with the San Diego Symphony, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, the Eureka (CA) Symphony and the Plymouth (MI) Symphony Orchestra. He has recorded contemporary chamber music for Opus One Records, Hearts of Space Records, and a solo CD for KOCH International Classics featuring an all-French program and highlighted by the world-premiere recording of an early 19th-century concerto by Charles Duvernoy. During his years in Los Angeles, he also participated in soundtrack recordings for the motion picture and television studios of Universal, Warner Brothers and Columbia.
Ron has championed the music of several contemporary composers and has participated in performances, on recordings, and as part of consortiums of several new-work commissions. Among these have been Anthony Iannaccone’s Concertante for clarinet and orchestra for which he gave the American premiere; William Albright’s Quintet for clarinet and strings; John Harbison’s Concerto for oboe, clarinet and orchestra; and most recently, David Stock’s Sea of Reeds written for the Pittsburgh Reed Trio, a chamber ensemble which Ron co-founded.
Currently on the faculty of Duquesne University, Ron has been a guest lecturer at the University of Michigan and the Interlochen Arts Academy, and he has given master classes at several schools including the ,Universities of Southern California, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Louisville Central and Eastern Michigan Universities, Bowling Green State University, California State University at Humboldt and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
In addition to the PMF, Ron has performed as principal clarinetist with several other summertime orchestras, including the Grand Teton Music Festival, the Colorado Music Festival and the Santa Fe Opera.
Other musical pursuits have included the publication of articles for The Clarinet - Journal for the International Clarinet Association and de Klarinet - Dutch Journal for Clarinetists. In addition, Ron was a production assistant on clarinetist David Shifrin's Delos recording, A Brahms/Schumann Soirée.
He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife, PMF cellist Freya, and their two children Melanie and Darren.
Ron Samuels is a Buffet Crampon USA performing artist.
For more information, please visit ronsamuelsclarinet.com.