Hey! Next week I’ll be performing and teaching on a mini tour of Los Angeles. California! ClarinetMike says, “Watch the Livestream on Tuesday! FYI, I perform first!”
Los Angeles, California Mini Tour 2023
Michael Dean, clarinet
Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (AVPA)
Culver City High School
Culver, City, California
Monday, May 15
Lecture Recital, 1:30 pm
Master Class, 2:30 pm
University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)
Herb Alpert School of Music
Schoenberg Hall
Los Angeles, California
Tuesday, May 16
Performance, 8 pm PDT (Pacific Daylight Time)
Information and Livestream: Click Here
At AVPA, my master class is “Career Development in Music and the Arts.” My lecture recital includes the following (subject to change):
Summer Sunrise on the Mississippi (2009) (clarinet & media) by Robert Fruehwald (b. 1957)
Andy and Me (2006) (clarinet & media) by Robert Fruehwald
“Fairly slowly” from Low Register Suite No. 1 (c. 1973) (solo clarinet) by Alec Wilder (1907-1980)
“Gently” from Three Smiles for Tracey (1989) (solo clarinet) by Adolphus Hailstork (b. 1941)
Nimbus! (2021) (clarinet & media) by Austin Ali (b. 1997)
At UCLA, I will be perform Nimbus! for a graduate composers concert. Here’s a program note for Nimbus!:
Nimbus! (clarinet & media) (2021) by Austin Ali (b. 1997)
Austin Ali said, “Nimbus! is dedicated to the Dean family and their two-year-old golden retriever, Nimbus. The work blends the spirit of Nimbus (a big, loving dog who’s still a bit of an excited puppy) and the inspiration for the name Nimbus (meaning ‘halo’). Nimbus! represents both Nimbus the dog and the companionship dogs offer us humans, a sacred gift of common grace for us all to enjoy. The media track features pre-recorded clips of clarinetist Michael Dean playing four clarinets: Bb, A, Eb, and Bass clarinets. In the piece, the spirit of Nimbus finds itself in the rapid, fluttering gestures in the media accompaniment. The solo part and media accompaniment part mirror each other at times like a companion. Yet, the parts are not exact mirror images of each other. The fragmented melodies in the media swell and burst, continually breathing life and excitement into the piece, feeding its rhythmic pulse. The clarinet solo compliments this driving rhythm often with soaring lyrical melodies, foreshadowing the heartfelt ending of the piece. Eventually, the lyrical solo part tames the frenetic accompaniment. The work ends with an homage to Nimbus’ great-uncle Andy with a whimsical quote from Robert Fruehwald’s ‘Andy and Me.’”
Hailing from Texas, Austin Ali (b. 1997) is a composer, trumpeter, and educator based in Los Angeles, California. An insatiably curious person, he strives to inspire wonder through his music. From complex-meter jazz to spacey orchestral scores, he seeks to compose infectiously fun and unforgettable music. Austin graduated summa cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin, earning two undergraduate degrees in four years (Music Composition and Plan II Honors) and studying composition principally with Drs. Yevgeniy Sharlat and Donald Grantham. After completing his MA in Music Composition from UCLA, Austin is currently pursuing his PhD at UCLA, studying with Drs. Ian Krouse and Richard Danielpour. His compositions have been premiered by world-class musicians including the Austin Symphony Orchestra in Austin, Texas, Spanish Brass in Valencia, Spain, and the Carpe Diem String Quartet in Siena, Italy. As a trumpeter, Austin was named “Promising Artist of the 21st Century” on tour with Big Wy’s Brass Band, performing for the U.S. Ambassador and President of Costa Rica. Most recently, the Tampa Bay Symphony premiered his orchestral work Defiant Overture in February, April, and May 2023. Austin is looking forward to the premieres of The Beginner’s Guide to Space Travel with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra in June 2023 in Indiana and his Harp Concerto by the Los Angeles Chamber Music Company in July 2023.
Acclaimed American clarinetist Dr. Michael Dean “ClarinetMike” performs and teaches worldwide. He’s appeared at Carnegie Hall and other prestigious venues, and is faculty artist-in-residence at the summer Orfeo Music Festival in Italy. He successfully taught at the college level for 25 years and has performed with numerous orchestras and ensembles. In addition to being a busy freelancer in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, he’s also studying digital assets and their application to music and music education.
"Welcome to my Clarinet Blog!"
ClarinetMike Blog 