Martin Frost, clarinet, on Aho Concerto with LA Phil 3/26/12

March 26, 2012

I had never heard clarinet like Martin Frost plays, technically and artistically. He is a real genius. Frost makes clarinet a big universe. His beautiful, singing and smooth line, powerful forte without harshly, amazing fingers, imagination and artistry. I heard he practices 8 hours/day with great focus, and plays about 150 concerts a year. Frost received a grant from Borletti Buitoni Trust in 2003 to develop his musicianship, and commissioned Aho to write a concerto for him. With a great collaboration between Frost and Aho, he showed the composer a clarinet’s extended and contemporary technique, and Aho finished this concerto in 2005. Then the following year, Frost premiered it in London with the conductor, Osmo Vanska, whom he played with in LA as well. The concerto is a dramatic and imaginative work. Of course Frost makes this work in a highest level. At last, I studied at Rice University for my DMA degree in the studio of Mr. John Perry with his brother, Johan, who is an amazing pianist as well. After the concert I went to the backstage of Disney Concert Hall to rehearse with another great clarinet player, Michele Zukovsky, and my husband, David, for our Brahms Clarinet Trio for an up-coming chamber music concert at Disney Hall on 4/3. It was a great clarinet day.