 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: donald
Date: 2012-05-10 11:39
I was very sad to hear of the passing of Ken Wilson, a player and composer known around the world (Jack Brymer performed his clarinet concerto, and Ken also knew many colleagues in USA and Germany). A fabulous musician who loved to play right up to his final days, he was also a real gentleman with a kind heart. He had been very unwell, and I remember feeling sad that he couldn't come to hear the NZ contingent to Clarinetfest 2011 perform the night before we all flew to LA, as i knew he would have loved some of the pieces we played. I include his bio below.
dn
Ken Wilson, clarinetist, composer.
He was born in Auckland in 1924 and began music study [clarinet and piano] at 9 years of age. In 1937, he moved to California, USA , with his parents and brother. Attended Los Gatos High School where he continued his musical education, encouraged by staff and external tutors. He played in the school orchestra and outside ensembles. When his father died in 1941, he and his mother and brother were compelled to return to NZ.
He joined the RNZAF Band in 1942, where he played alongside John McCaw [solo clarinet].
He was a founding member of the New Zealand National Orchestra from 1946 to 1957.
Soon after, he completed a B.Mus for the University of NZ., having studied composition under Ronald Tremain.
In the early 1960’s, he went to Indiana University, Bloomington, USA, to complete graduate studies with Bernhard Heiden [composition], Juan Orrego – Salas [composition], and Henry Gulick [clarinet]. At the same time, he taught clarinet and orchestration as a graduate assistant. Graduated with a Masters in Clarinet Performance, later followed by a D.M.E. During his time in Bloomington, he composed a variety of works, including a suite for concert band subsequently published. In the mid 1960’s, he accepted a position as lecturer in music at State University College of New York, Buffalo.
He returned to New Zealand in about 1969 to join the Symphonia of Auckland under the conductor Juan Matteucci. At the same time, he accepted a part-time position as clarinet teacher in the School of Music at Auckland University.
Then, in 1980, he held a temporary position as HOD Woodwind at the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, Australia.
After his return to New Zealand in 1981, he was a member of the Wellington Sinfonia, part time orchestra for opera and ballet. In 1998 he retired to Devonport, Auckland, with Elisabeth, his wife, and continues to play in private chamber groups as well as composing and arranging.
Compositions: Wind Quintet; Paganini Variations for 4 Clarinets; Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra; Quintet for A-flat Piccolo [or E-flat Flute] and String Quartet; Wind Octet, [2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, 2 bassoons] ; Suite for Band.
Also other compositions and arrangements for various small wind ensembles.
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Author: donald
Date: 2012-05-11 22:36
HIs arrangement of the Paganini Variations for Clarinet Quartet is often performed in the USA, and unusually (though not uniquely) he was fluent with both Boehm and German key systems.
dn
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Author: donald
Date: 2012-05-12 22:15
Thanks for posting that link Jack- right up until Easter 2012 Ken was still playing with that clarity and "shape" in his sound. The little cadenza at about 10.20 really reminds me what his playing was about! dn
Post Edited (2012-05-12 22:16)
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2012-05-13 04:01
Seems like he had a fantastic life.
Jack, now I have to find the music. It's a very nice piece for the clarinet. Any idea where to get the sheet music? Thanks.
The clarinetist in the recording really played the piece very well. Nice sound, fast fingers.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2012-05-13 05:28
Bob, There is a link right right above the player (under "availability") to purchase either a pdf file of the score or a hard copy. Since Sounz is a New Zealand Music Center, the pdf version is particularly convenient. I don't know where a solo part might be found and my guess would be that there is no piano reduction.
Donald, do you know who the performers on this recoding are?
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: donald
Date: 2012-05-13 06:40
That's a very old recording of Ken Wilson with the NZSO in 1964. The conductor- Maestro Juan Matteucci- would, 25 years later, bawl me out and threaten to fire me for wearing a cap in rehearsal! Great sound eh?
dn
Post Edited (2012-05-13 07:49)
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Author: donald
Date: 2012-05-14 09:23
ps- There is no known piano reduction for the concerto, email me if you want parts and I can contact his wife Elizabeth- she has them (Sounz only have the full score). dn
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Author: Nessie1
Date: 2012-05-14 16:11
I remember several jolly occasions playing the Paganini variations at a summer school. Good fun.
RIP Ken.
Vanessa.
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Author: SOUNZ
Date: 2013-03-04 19:02
SOUNZ has been receiving many of Ken's works into our collection, and they're still coming! You can see Ken's listings from his profile page here: http://sounz.org.nz/contributor/composer/1183
We recently received the hire set for his "Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra" - the score & parts are currently be assessed for possible typesetting and, hopefully, a piano reduction!! A clarinetist myself, I'm trying hard to get this to happen - will post again should I be successful
Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have
-Hayden Sinclair
Collection Coordinator for SOUNZ, The Centre for New Zealand Music
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Author: donald
Date: 2020-05-31 09:56
Hello all, I was just this morning speaking with Elisabeth Olds-Wilson regarding the Concerto by Ken Wilson discussed above. In my opening post in this thread I wrote that Jack Brymer had performed the Wilson concerto, but need to clarify and/correct that statement. Brymer did promote this work in his book, and wrote to Ken Wilson complimenting him (on both his playing and composition) and stating his intention to perform the work. However we have no evidence of the date/details of any performance so must assume Brymer never performed it.
Since the link above was posted (thanks again to Jack Kissenger), SOUNZ have added a little informative clip about this work presented by Kenneth Young.
https://sounz.org.nz/works/18846?locale=en
A great piece to perform for anyone in search of a modern work for Clarinet and strings!
dn
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2020-05-31 13:52
Hi Donald,
What a lovely work. Was it performed ever outside of NZ? I’d be interested in getting a copy of the score and part. Is it possible on the link you provided?
Peter Cigleris
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