Clarinet
A versatile and critically acclaimed artist, Richie Hawley ranks among the most distinguished clarinetists of his generation.
Since being appointed principal clarinet of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in 1994 at age 23, Mr. Hawley has enjoyed a rewarding and multifaceted career as an orchestral clarinetist, recitalist, chamber musician, teacher, and clinician, making appearances throughout the United States and abroad. He participated in the Marlboro Music Festival in the summers of 1999 and 2000 and toured with the legendary Musicians from Marlboro for the festival's 50th anniversary.
In solo appearances with the CSO, he has performed works by Mozart, Copland, Debussy, Weber, and Bernstein. Many of the 60-plus albums recorded by the CSO and Cincinnati Pops during his tenure have featured the major solos of orchestral repertoire for clarinet. American Record Guide hailed Mr. Hawley's "gorgeous" clarinet solo in the CSO's performance of Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2 as "the crowning achievement" of the recording under Maestro Jesus Lopez-Cobos.
A highly sought-after teacher, Mr. Hawley recently accepted the job as professor of clarinet at Rice University Shepherd School of Music in Houston. He will leave the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra as well as his position at UC's College-Conservatory of Music as head of the clarinet studio at the end of the 2011 season.
As both a performer and educator, Mr. Hawley has been the recipient of several coveted awards. In 1988 his trio, "Trio Con Brio," won first prize at the Coleman Chamber Music Competition. That same year he was one of five musicians to receive the Gold Medal as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts from Ronald Reagan in a ceremony at the White House. He has received the Léni Fé Bland Foundation Career Grant twice, and was awarded the 2009 Glover Award for Outstanding Teacher of the Year at CCM.
Originally from Los Angeles, Mr. Hawley began his clarinet studies with Yehuda Gilad. He made his orchestral solo debut at age 13 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and at age 14 performed with the New York Philharmonic. While a student of Donald Montanaro at the Curtis Institute of Music, Mr. Hawley also soloed with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
A Buffet-Crampon artist, Mr. Hawley performs on the Tosca model of clarinet. He is also a Rico Performing Artist and Clinician and plays exclusively on the Reserve Classic reeds.
This is Mr. Hawley's sixth year on the faculty of the Music Academy of the West.