ICA ClarinetFEST Austin 2010

Hi Clarinetfriends
I just came back from the ClarinetFEST in Austin. Everybody who was there would confirm that it was a terrific Festival. Well organised by Nathan Williams and Richard Mac Dowell. Thanks and congratulation – you did a great job for the clarinetfamily. It was really the feeling of a family. Indeed all musicians can be the best friends in such circumstances.
It was so impressive to see how different the clarinet can sound. Best in Romantic and Classical Music, in Jazz, Klezmer, Contemporary and with Electronics as well as a group in clarinet-orchestras. A rich and huge range. I could discover new fine compositions for clarinet: Have you ever heard of Whitney Prince, Roshanne Etezady or Theresa Martin. They composed awesome Duos for Clarinet. Robert Spring and Jana Starling introduced them in a terrific way. Or did you know that Costa Rica has a rich clarinet life with a society and a own Festival? The whole world is moving.
And then the Bass Clarinet Blow-Out of Rico: What a fantastic group with Laurie Bloom, André Moisan, Rocco Parisi, Alcides Rodriguez and Pedro Rubio. And they played the new Rico Bassclarinet reed – superbe sound! I played my newest compositions for clarinet: My 6 Etudes de Concert and 2 movments of my new Clarinet Concerto. They are on my new CD Virtuoso (https://neos-music.com/) and published by Edition Hug (http://shop.musikhug.ch) and by Metropolis Musicpublisher (http://www.metropolis-music.be). On my website you can listen some samples.
On the home back I was visiting Eddie Daniels in his home in Santa Fee. He is not only a terrific clarinet Player but a great personality as well. What an open mind: We discussed about all kind of music specially about Stockhausen and Ligeti – and of course about Thai Chi. I was allowed to assist to a lesson with Eddie and Mirabai. Big stars can be so human and modest... Yours Matthias