Phillip Solomon

Teaches at 92nd Street Y

Clarinetist Phillip Solomon enjoys a varied career of innovative, collaborative, and heartfelt music making. Born and raised in Westchester, N.Y., Mr. Solomon is a graduate of the Juilliard School, where he studied with Jon Manasse.

It was during his undergraduate studies that he also fell in love with the bass clarinet, and received additional instruction on the instrument with Jim Ognibene of the Met Opera Orchestra, as well as Amy Zoloto and Brian Hysong. A passionate educator, Mr. Solomon believes every student has a unique artistic voice that deserves to be heard. In addition to teaching clarinet at 92nd Street Y, Mr. Solomon is a Juilliard Community Engagement Teaching Fellow, serving as a clarinet mentor in the school’s Music Advancement Program. He has also given educational presentations at public schools throughout New York, as well as at Carnegie Hall for their annual Link Up program.

As an orchestral musician, he has performed on both clarinet and bass clarinet with orchestras around the country, including the New World Symphony, American Ballet Theatre, Princeton Symphony, New York City Ballet, and the Metropolitan Opera. In addition, he currently serves as Third Clarinet/Bass Clarinet with the Symphony in C of Camden, NJ. He has performed under some of the world’s most renowned conductors, including David Robertson, Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Gianandrea Noseda, Edward Gardner, Michael Tilson Thomas, Karina Canellakis, and James Gaffigan, among others.

An avid chamber musician and soloist, Mr. Solomon commands a wide range of repertoire spanning nearly 300 years of music, from early music on period instruments to world premieres by contemporary composers. He has performed live on WQXR-FM for their series of summer broadcasts, as well as on BBC Radio 3 live in London. As a Klezmer musician, he was a founding member of Mountain Mishpokhe, a Klezmer band formed by students at the Aspen Music Festival. Comprised of clarinet, cello/mandolin, double bass, and Yiddish vocals with accordion, this unique quartet brought traditional Jewish and middle-eastern music to the sidewalks and outdoor spaces of Aspen.

During his summers, Mr. Solomon has performed and studied at the Oregon Bach Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, and was a Fellow of the Tanglewood Music Center.

When he is not performing, practicing, or listening to music, Mr. Solomon can be found working on his deadlift form, fine-tuning his aim in Counter-Strike, or just daydreaming.