The New York Times wrote about David Singer, “To describe his playing would be to enumerate a catalogue of virtues.” His career as one of the most highly respected clarinetists in the U.S. has been established through performances and recordings as principal clarinetist of the Grammy Award winning Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, frequent guest appearances with the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society, two separate performances at the White House for Presidents Carter and Clinton, participation at the Marlboro, Spoleto and Edinburgh Music Festivals and through chamber music performances and recordings with some of the greatest musicians of our time including Yehudi Menuhin, Rudolf Serkin, Yo Yo Ma, Pinchas Zukerman and members of the Guarneri, Emerson, Orion, and Shanghai String Quartets. He has appeared on more than 100 recordings including two Grammy Award winners.
Robert Aldridge, Grammy Award winner in 2012, wrote Concerto For Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra for Mr. Singer and performances of that work with both Orpheus and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra resulted in rave reviews: “teeming with energy”, “rowdy, ethnic and fun” (Los Angeles Times). Naxos and American Classics released Singer’s recording of the Aldridge and Copland Clarinet Concerti and from England, Gramophone Magazine wrote “…Singer’s Copland performance is one of the finest accounts around. His playing is exceptional…sensitive and expressive…technically brilliant.”
Winner of the international Naumberg Competition for chamber music in New York, David Singer, as a member of the Aulos Wind Quintet commissioned John Harbison to write his now famous “Wind Quintet”, a piece which has become one of the most important works in the repertoire of the woodwind quintet. Mr. Singer also participated in the premiere of Charles Wuorinen’s quartet, “Fortune” in Bonn, Germany, with the composer as pianist.
David Singer was a judge with Grammy Award winner John Corigliano for the Corigliano Clarinet Competition at the Juilliard School as well as one of three judges for the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society II International Competition.
As a co – star with Stockard Channing in “The Lady and the Clarinet”, he also performed the entire musical score for the play unaccompanied.
Prof. Singer helped establish the now thriving chamber music program and collaborative faculty/student performances at Montclair State University, where he served as Coordinator of Chamber Music and Woodwinds, Professor of Clarinet for twenty-three years. He was awarded Emeritus status from the University in October 2012.
Today David Singer serves on the Music Advisory Board of Young Musicians Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping many of the most accomplished young musicians in Southern California, ages 10 – 26, thrive through creating performance opportunities and scholarships. Mr. Singer also coaches and conducts the woodwind section of the top ensemble, the “Debut” Orchestra, giving the musicians – many of whom attend the leading schools in So. Cal. including the Colburn School and U.S.C., his insights on how to more successfully interpret the music. Mr. Singer prepares the musicians for their full orchestral rehearsals with their regular conductor.
David Singer is also very proud to have created a new and exciting chamber music ensemble called the Singer Chamber Players. This group has already received standing ovations and immediate re engagements from presenters throughout So. Cal. Go to singerchamberplayers.com for information.