VIP Stephen Williamson

Stephen Williamson - Solo Clarinetist in Chicago Symphony - former Solo Clarinetist in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

Stephen Williamson was appointed principal clarinetist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in December of 2003. He has appeared with a wide variety of orchestras throughout his extensive career, including numerous appearances with the New York Philharmonic, Orchestra of St. Luke's, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, American Symphony Orchestra, American Ballet Theater, New York City Opera, Solisti NY Chamber Orchestra, Stamford Symphony, and the EOS Orchestra.

Mr. Williamson has recorded for Sony Classics, Telarc, CRI, BMG, and Decca labels and can be heard on soprano Renee Fleming's most recent CD, "By Request", with the Orchestra of St. Luke's. Mr. Williamson was the Grand Prize Winner of the 1994 Boosey & Hawkes/ Buffet Crampon First Annual North American Clarinet Competition.

As a featured artist for the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival and the European Mozart Foundation, he has been on radio and television broadcasts with such artists as Maurice Bourgue, Alexander Longuich, Radovan Vlatkovic, and principal members of the Orchestre Nationale de Paris and de L'Ensemble Intercontemporain.

As a core member of the Met Chamber Ensemble, Mr. Williamson has performed extensively with Maestro James Levine both as soloist and as chamber artist. This season at Carnegie Hall he will perform works of Wuorinen, Carter, Beethoven, Brahms, as well as Alban Berg's "Four Pieces for clarinet and piano, Op. 5″ accompanied by Mr. Levine. He will be on tour with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra this June (2006) to Japan as well as Guest Principal Clarinet with the Orchestra of St. Luke's for a tour of European festivals in late August (2006). Mr. Williamson is on the clarinet faculty at Columbia University and the Mannes School of Music in New York City. He received his Bachelor's Degree and Performer's Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, as well as a Master's Degree from The Juilliard School. As a Fullbright Scholar, he furthered his studies at the Hochschule der Kunste in Berlin, Germany where he collaborated with various members of the Berlin Philharmonic. His past teachers include Peter Rieckhoff, Charles Neidich, Kenneth Grant, and Michael Webster. Mr. Williamson currently plays Selmer Signature clarinets and uses Vandoren traditional reeds with a James Pyne JX/BC mouthpiece.