Bil Jackson

Bil Jackson, Associate Professor of clarinet at the Blair School of Music enjoys a varied musical career that includes solo, orchestral and chamber music appearances. Before joining the faculty at the Blair School Mr. Jackson served as principal clarinetist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Honolulu Symphony and has performed as guest principal clarinetist with the St Louis, St. Paul Chamber, Minnesota Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Lukes and Cincinnati symphony orchestras. He also has appeared as a soloist with the Colorado, Honolulu, Denver, Charlotte, Dallas Chamber, and Aspen Chamber orchestras. This summer marks Mr. Jackson’s 32st year on the Artist-Faculty of the Aspen Music Festival. He is additionally on the Artist-Faculty of the Colorado College Summer Music Festival and has previously served on the faculties of the University of Texas, University of Colorado, University of Northern Colorado and Duquesne University. Mr. Jackson studied at the Interlochen Arts Academy, where he won the IAA’s concerto competition three years in a row and was awarded the gold medal for superlative musicianship upon graduation. He continued his formal study at Northwestern University with Robert Marcellus. Mr. Jackson is the only person to win the International Clarinet Competition twice and he was a finalist in the Prague International Clarinet Competition. Mr. Jackson began his orchestral career with the Honolulu Symphony as principal clarinetist at the age of 19. Mr. Jackson currently performs recitals and presents master classes throughout the United States and abroad. In August of 2008 he was a featured artist at the Japan International Clarinet Festival and has presented master classes at the Yale, Shepherd School, Northwestern, Manhattan, Eastman, and Colburn schools of music. Upcoming events in the 2014-15 season include the Tucson Chamber music festival and the Camerata Pacifica chamber music series based in Los Angeles/Santa Barbara. In March 2015 Jackson will premiere a trio composed by Lowell Liebermann at the Tuscon Chamber Music Festival. Mr. Jackson commissioned, and premiered with the Honolulu Symphony, Dan Welcher’s Clarinet Concerto which was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in music. He subsequently returned to the Honolulu Symphony to record the concerto for the Naxos label. During the 2008-2009 Colorado Symphony season, Bil premiered Kevin Puts’ clarinet concerto with Jeffrey Kahane conducting. Additionally he performed the Puts concerto via a live NPR national broadcast from the Aspen Music Festival's 2010 season. Mr. Jackson will record the Puts concerto February 2015 with the Colorado Symphony, Andrew Litton conducting. Additionally, Mr. Jackson is a guest artist with the Music from Angel Fire, Camerata Pacifica, Chamber Music Unbound, Bravo! Colorado, Chamber Music Northwest, Arizona friends of Chamber Music, Strings in the Mountains and Sunflower chamber music festivals. Mr. Jackson has also toured with the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society and the Australian Chamber Music Festival. Mr. Jackson is sponsored by the Yamaha and D’addario corporations.