Anthony McGill (musician)

Anthony McGill (born July 17, 1979) is the principal clarinetist for the New York Philharmonic, after having served for a decade as principal clarinet of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

Anthony McGill
McGill performing at Lincoln Center in 2019
Background information
Born (1979-07-17) July 17, 1979[1]
Chicago, Illinois
Occupation(s)Principal clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic
InstrumentsClarinet
Associated actsNew York Philharmonic
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

Biography

McGill is originally from Chicago, Illinois, growing up in the city's Chatham neighborhood.[2]

He attended the Interlochen Arts Academy, the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is an instructor at the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland[3] and the Mannes College of Music in New York City. McGill is one of the few African American musicians to hold a principal position in a major orchestra.[4]

McGill was a recipient of the 2000 Avery Fisher Career Grant[5] and was the 2020 recipient of the Avery Fisher Prize, awarded to "to solo instrumentalists who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and excellence in music."[6]

Along with Itzhak Perlman (violin), Yo-Yo Ma (cello), and Gabriela Montero (piano), he recorded and performed "Air and Simple Gifts," composed by John Williams, for the inauguration of United States President Barack Obama on January 20, 2009.[3] Although the music played was a recording made two days prior due to concerns over the cold weather damaging the instruments, the four were actually playing at the same time as the recording.[7]

McGill's older brother, Demarre, is the principal flautist with the Seattle Symphony and previously held the same position with the Dallas Symphony[8] and the San Diego Symphony.[2]

References
  1. "Anthony McGill". The HistoryMakers.
  2. George, Jason (2009-01-20). "Clarinetist delivers the day's other breakthrough performance". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 2009-01-23. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
  3. Peabody instructor part of Obama inauguration, Baltimore Sun, January 8, 2009
  4. Tommasini, Anthony (2009-01-20). "A New Williams Work for a Momentous Occasion". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
  5. "The Avery Fisher Career Grants | Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts". www.aboutlincolncenter.org. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  6. "The Avery Fisher Prize | Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts". www.aboutlincolncenter.org. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  7. Quartet pre-recorded Obama music. BBC News (January 23, 2009).
  8. "Seattle Symphony: The Orchestra". Archived from the original on 2014-12-29. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.