Pierre Woudenberg

The Clarinetist Pierre Woudenberg was born in The Hague, the European city of peace and justice. Here he was educated and did a study of classical clarinet at the Dutch Royal Conservatoire with Jolle Huckriede as his main professor. He completed his study with receiving the highest award, the so called Fock Medal ( best presentation of the year) and the achievement of the Prix d’Excellence. For classical playing he attended classes with the Viennese clarinetist Rudolf Jettel and for the interpretation of contemporary music with Alan Hacker in London. Immediately after his studies Pierre was appointed professor at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague where he still is teaching an international class of clarinet students.

During his studies he was already a clarinetist in the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. A few years later he joined the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra where he was appointed first solo clarinetist, a post he has held for 25 years.

As a soloist he has performed diverse repertoire under conductors including Kent Nagano, Hans Zender, Oliver Knussen, Reinbert de Leeuw, John Adams and James McMillan. It was like premieres of John Adams Gnarly Buttons, Ariels Music by Brett Dean. Giacinto Scelsi Kya, Hans Werner Henze le Miracle de la Rose but also Classics like Stamitz, Mozart,Stanford etc.

Currently Pierre Woudenberg mainly plays at the Schoenberg Ensemble, of which he has been a founder and member since 1974. For many years they performed all over the world the fantastic chamber music pieces of the second viennees school. The complete repertoire also was put on CD like they did also and in close cooperation with composers as Görgy Ligeti, Mauricio Kagel, Geörgy Kurtag, etc.

Many compositions were especialy written for Pierre Woudenberg and his ensembles, most recently a clarinet quintet by Roi Nachsohn and a concertpiece for 2 clarinets by Jan Peter de Graaff. Many compositions in wich Pierre is playing a leading part are recorded on Lp, CD and DVD. Playing the Wurlitzer Reform Böhm Clarinets he is an important exponent of the Dutch Clarinet School.

As a guest musician Pierre regularly performed the famous Quintets with clarinet and string quartet. Along with the Schönberg Quartet, he made a CD with the clarinet quintets of Johannes Brahms and Max Reger.

With his rich experience as a player and teacher, he regularly gives masterclasses, at home and abroad.