Martin Fröst is an accomplished clarinetist, conductor, and recording artist known for pushing musical boundaries.
He has performed with many orchestras around the world, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the NHK Symphony Orchestra, and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig under the baton of Riccardo Chailly.
Fröst has also been an artist-in-residence at the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Netherlands Philharmonic.
Fröst’s virtuosity and musicianship have been widely recognized, earning him numerous awards and accolades.
He has been named Instrumentalist of the Year by the Royal Swedish Academy of Music and has received the Léonie Sonning Music Prize, the highest musical honor in Denmark.
Fröst has also won the Echo Klassik Award and has been nominated for a Grammy. His recordings, which range from Brahms to Ligeti, have received critical acclaim and have been praised for their technical brilliance and emotional depth.
Fröst’s artistic collaborations have been equally impressive. He has performed with renowned musicians such as Sol Gabetta, Janine Jansen, Yuja Wang, Leif Ove Andsnes, Roland Pöntinen, and Antoine Tamestit. Fröst has also collaborated with choreographers, incorporating dance into his performances.
His unique approach to music has earned him a reputation as a legend in the classical music world.
Martin Fröst: A Brief Biography
Martin Fröst is a Swedish clarinetist and conductor who is widely recognized for his virtuosity and musicianship. He was born on December 14, 1970, and began playing the clarinet at the age of nine. He studied at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and later at the Conservatoire de Paris.
Fröst has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and the NHK Symphony Orchestra. He is known for pushing musical boundaries and has been described by The New York Times as having “a virtuosity and a musicianship unsurpassed by any clarinettist – perhaps any instrumentalist – in my memory.”
Fröst has won numerous awards throughout his career, including the Instrumentalist of the Year Award at the Echo Klassik Awards and the Léonie Sonning Music Prize. He has also been an artist-in-residence with several orchestras, including the Netherlands Philharmonic and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony.
In addition to his work as a soloist and conductor, Fröst is also an avid chamber musician. He has collaborated with many renowned artists, including Sol Gabetta, Janine Jansen, Yuja Wang, Leif Ove Andsnes, and Roland Pöntinen. He is also the founder of the Fröst Foundation, which supports young musicians and promotes new music.
Fröst’s repertoire is diverse and includes works by Brahms, Verdi, Ligeti, Golijov, and many others. He is particularly known for his interpretations of contemporary music and has premiered works by composers such as Anders Hillborg and Victoria Borisova-Ollas.
Fröst has recorded numerous albums for Sony Classical, including “Genesis,” “Roots,” “Dance,” and “Exodus.” He has also recorded with orchestras such as the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France, and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
Fröst’s performances have taken him to many of the world’s most prestigious concert halls, including Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Wigmore Hall, and Lincoln Center. He has also performed at festivals such as the Mostly Mozart Festival and the BBC Proms in the Park.
Overall, Martin Fröst is a highly respected clarinetist and conductor who has made significant contributions to the world of classical music. His virtuosity, musicianship, and commitment to pushing musical boundaries have earned him a well-deserved reputation as a legend in the industry.
Martin Fröst’s Clarinet
Martin Fröst is known for his virtuosic and boundary-pushing performances on the clarinet. He has been described by the New York Times as having “a virtuosity and a musicianship unsurpassed by any clarinettist – perhaps any instrumentalist – in my memory.”
Fröst has played on a variety of clarinets throughout his career, but he is best known for his use of the Buffet Crampon Prestige R-13 clarinet. This clarinet is made of African blackwood and features silver-plated keys. It is known for its warm, rich tone and is a popular choice among professional clarinetists.
In addition to his use of the Buffet Crampon Prestige R-13, Fröst has also been known to play on clarinets made by other manufacturers, including Yamaha and Selmer. He has even been known to experiment with different types of clarinets, such as the basset horn, which is a type of clarinet with a lower range.
Fröst is also a proponent of using different types of mouthpieces to achieve different sounds. He has worked with mouthpiece maker Erik Greiffenhagen to develop his own signature mouthpiece, which he uses in his performances.
Overall, Martin Fröst’s choice of clarinet and mouthpiece is a crucial part of his unique sound and virtuosic performances.
Martin Fröst’s Orchestra Collaborations
Martin Fröst has collaborated with several world-renowned orchestras throughout his career. He has performed with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, and many others.
With the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
In 2003, Martin Fröst performed Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam, conducted by Riccardo Chailly. The performance was highly acclaimed and led to further collaborations between Fröst and the orchestra. In 2011, Fröst was awarded the prestigious ECHO Klassik award for his recording of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
With the NHK Symphony Orchestra
Martin Fröst has also performed with the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo, Japan. In 2017, he performed Exodus, a clarinet concerto by composer Tobias Broström, with the orchestra. The performance was conducted by Paavo Järvi and was highly praised by critics.
With the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Fröst has also collaborated with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, performing Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in several cities across Europe, including Paris, Vienna, and London. He has also toured to Spain with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Dausgaard.
In addition to these collaborations, Martin Fröst has also performed with other notable orchestras, including the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and many others. He has also premiered works by contemporary composers, such as Verdi and Borisova-Ollas.
Overall, Martin Fröst’s collaborations with various orchestras have showcased his virtuosity and musicianship as a clarinetist. His performances have been highly acclaimed and have earned him numerous awards and accolades throughout his career.