Shifrin, David
Shifrin, David
Shifrin, David, American clarinetist and teacher; b. N.Y., Jan. 2, 1950. He studied at the H.S. of Performing Arts in N.Y. (1964–65), the Interlochen (Mich.) Arts Academy (1965–67), and the Curtis Inst. of Music in Philadelphia (artist diploma, 1971; B.M., 1973). He played clarinet in the Cleveland Orch., the Los Angeles Chamber Orch., the Dallas Sym. Orch., the Honolulu Sym. Orch., and the American Sym. Orch. in N.Y. As a soloist, he appeared with various orchs. in the U.S. and abroad, and was also very active as a recitalist and chamber music artist. He was artistic director of Chamber Music Northwest in Portland, Ore. (from 1980). In 1987 he was awarded an Avery Fisher Career Grant. He was then a member (from 1989) and artistic director (from 1992) of the Chamber Music Soc. of Lincoln Center in N.Y. He taught at the Cleveland Inst. of Music (1974–76), the Univ. of Mich. (1976–82), the Univ. of Southern Calif, in Los Angeles (1982–87), the Juilliard School in N.Y. (1987–90), and at the Yale Univ. School of Music (from 1987). In addition to his performances of the standard clarinet literature, Shifrin has commissioned scores from several American composers, among them Stephen Albert and Ezra Laderman.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire