A Conversation with Clarinetist Fan Lei
Fan Lei is regarded as China’s premier clarinetist so it comes as no surprise he’s helping usher in the woodwind to Morningside Music Bridge.
Clarinet was added to the MMB roster as a trial case last year, and it was such a success that Fan Lei returns for a second year. When he’s not teaching as a professor at Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music or giving master classes at the Julliard School, Banff Centre and beyond, Fan is a busy soloist and recitalist throughout the United States, Canada and Asia.
Question: What is your teaching philosophy?
Fan Lei: I try to make everybody better. I try to instill confidence in their personality and playing. I think those are the two most important things to do.
Question: You were here last year to introduce clarinet to the program for its trial year. How does that compare to this year?
Fan Lei: We’ve doubled our students from three to six. I think the quality gets better and better.
Question: What makes a program like Morningside Music Bridge special?
Fan Lei: I think the world is getting smaller in terms of having very elite music programs, especially like this one for musicians under 18 years old. You just don’t have that many in the world. This is one of the special ones. To think they’ve had this for 18 years, at a very high level from the beginning, you can tell many of the alum got many great jobs anc come back as artist teachers it’s a great thing to see.
Click here for a list of upcoming recitals and concerts until July 31.