Michael Lowenstern

STATS Rank: 10,055 Views: 2,459

Born: August 23, 1968 Primary Instrument: Clarinet

Michael Lowenstern, widely considered one of the finest bass clarinetists in the world, has performed, recorded and toured as a soloist and with ensembles of every variety.

Michael has written music for concert, film, dance and various other new media over the span of his 20-year career. Actively involved with technology in sound and music, Michael has been a pioneer in the field of interactive computer music, having created or performed over a hundred works for bass clarinet and electronics. His collaborations have included remixes for the landmark recording “In C Remixed” (featured on NPR’s RadioLab), Michael Gordon’s video opera “Chaos” and various dance works with David Lang. To date he can be heard on over fifty CDs, including five solo recordings of his own. Random factoid: the solo bass clarinet clip you hear as the theme to NPR’s “Science out of the Box” segment -- that’s Michael too.

Michael received a Fulbright grant to study in Amsterdam and was the top prizewinner at the 1991 International Gaudeamus Competition. A graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy, he trained at the Eastman School of Music (BM, Performer’s Certificate), the Sweelinck Conservatorium Amsterdam (Artist’s Certificate), and the State University of New York at Stony Brook (MM, DMA), studying clarinet and bass clarinet with Charles Neidich, Harry Sparnaay, Richard MacDowell and John Bruce Yeh, and composition with Daniel Weymouth. Michael has served on the faculties of the Juilliard School and New York University, and travels regularly as a guest lecturer at universities around the country. He is currently on the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music.

Michael is also a Webby and OneShow award-winning web developer, and enjoys a second career as the Managing Director of Digital Advertising at R/GA, AdWeek's Digital Agency of the Year for 2010. He has designed and produced both online and offline advertising for clients such as Pepsi, Verizon, Walmart, Nike, Wendy’s, and MasterCard, among many others. To put this into scale, about 150 people, every second of every day, see some form of advertising Michael has made. He’s sorry about that.

He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, clarinetist Katherine Cooke, and daughter Ariel

Awards:

Webby, OneShow, Fulbright Scholar

Last Updated: September 8, 2010

”You play with too much character” -Pierre Boulez
”New York's Hometown Bass Clarinetist” -The New Yorker

As a Leader

Fade
Earspasm
2007
Personnel: Michael Lowenstern, Bass Clarinet

Ten Children
Earspasm
2003
Personnel: Michael Lowenstern, Bass Clarinet

1985
Capstone
2000
Personnel: Michael Lowenstern, Bass Clarinet

Spasm
New World Records
1996
Personnel: Michael Lowenstern, Bass Clarinet

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Primary Instrument:
Clarinet

Location:
Brooklyn, NY

Willing to teach:
Advanced students only.

Credentials/Background:
Manhattan School of Music, Contemporary Performance Program (Master's Level only). Hours limited, but available. Fee is sliding-scale.

Sorry, no recommendations at this time.

Selmer Bass Clarinets, AMT Microphones

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