John Klinghammer, clarinetist

John Klinghammer currently holds the position of 2nd/Eb clarinet with the Omaha Symphony. He is also principal clarinet with the Des Moines Symphony and 2nd clarinet with the Breckenridge Music Festival. Before arriving in Omaha, he served a one-year stint as 2nd clarinet with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. He has also been a member of the National Repertory Orchestra. John has collaborated with artists such as the Monument Piano Trio, Analog Arts Ensemble, and Metropolitain Opera coloratura Anna Christy. His performances have been called “charismatic” by the Omaha World Herald and lauded by Opera Today.

 

John received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon and was the winner of the 1994 UofO concerto competition. He earned a Master’s and Doctorate degrees from the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, where he became a member of the USC Scholarship Woodwind Quintet. He spent a year as principal clarinet of the YMF Debut Orchestra of Los Angeles, and in 2000 performed the Copland Clarinet Concerto with that orchestra. In 2009, John will perform concertos with both the Breckenridge Music Festival and the Omaha Symphony.

 

John is adjunct faculty at the College of St Mary’s, and maintains a private studio which must contend on a regular basis with the strong opinions of his teaching assistant, Sofi the dog. His teachers include Cindi Bartels, Dr. Wayne Bennett, Michael Anderson, Ted Oien, Michele Zukofsky, and the incomparable Yehuda Gilad.