ZOOM MEETING: Calgary Philharmonic (CPO) Presentation
Alex Klein – Principal Oboe
One of the world's leading oboists, Alex Klein is to date the only solo oboist to be bestowed a Grammy Award, for his recording of the Richard Strauss Oboe Concerto with Daniel Barenboim and the Chicago Symphony. Klein was Principal Oboe with the Chicago Symphony under Daniel Barenboim, being awarded the position of “Principal Oboe Emeritus” by Riccardo Muti in 2017. Klein won the First Prizes in the Geneva, New York and Fernand Gillet International Oboe Competitions, the top prize in the Tokyo International Oboe Competition and other awards in the Czech Republic and Brazil. Klein has taught at Northwestern University and at his alma mater, Oberlin Conservatory of Music, as well as master classes in leading music schools around the world, such as the main Conservatories in Beijing, Geneva, Paris, Lyon, Moscow, Toronto, Saint Petersburg, and Manchester, and at the Juilliard School. Klein has been a member of the judging panel for the international competitions in Geneva, Isle of Man/England, Tchaikovsky Conserva- tory/Moscow, Fernand Gillet Competition, and the Japan International Oboe Competition.
After leaving the Chicago Symphony Klein devoted his career to the advancement of talented young players from Latin America and from disadvantaged communities. As founder and Artistic Director of FEMUSC - Santa Catarina Music Festival, Klein created what would become the largest music festival-school in Latin America, bringing together thousands of young musicians from forty countries, and putting them in contact with instructors of renowned music institutions. As a conductor, Alex Klein led Brazil's top symphony orchestras and directed ensembles in the USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Europe and China.
Alex Klein founded and was General Director of the El Sistema-inspired PRIMA, Program of Social Inclusion though Music and the Arts in the State of Paraiba in Brazil, establishing youth and children's orchestras in the public school system beginning with the areas hardest hit by so- cial instability.
Klein is Principal Oboe of the Calgary Philharmonic, Adjunct Professor of Oboe at DePaul Uni- versity, a member of the Chicago Pro-Musica Reed Trio, teaches and performs at the Aspen Mu- sic Festival, a regular instructor at the New World Symphony, and a regular recording artist with over 25 Cds released as a soloist and chamber musician.
KARL HIRZER - Associate Conductor and Assistant Chorus Master
Since September 2016, Karl Hirzer has been Resident, then Associate Conductor of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. He has conducted the Nova Scotia Symphony and Regina Symphony Orchestra, and is a regular guest conductor with Land’s End Ensemble. In 2019, American composer John Corigliano, who collaborated with the ensemble on his song cycle Mr. Tambourine Man, stated: “Mr. Hirzer brought a combination of detailed accuracy and intense musical feeling to the work, resulting in
an absolutely marvelous performance.” In the 2019/2020 Season, Hirzer debuts with the Szczecin Philharmonic in Poland, and takes on the additional role of Assistant Chorus Master with the CPO. He was previously Assistant Conductor for the National Academy Orchestra of Canada and the McGill Contemporary Music Ensemble, and worked with the Gstaad Festival Orchestra. He was also a Conducting Fellow at the 2017 Cortona Sessions for New Music. Hirzer has performed with diverse soloists such as Evelyn Glennie, Jonathan Crow, Chris Botti, Owen Pallett, and others. As an educator, he was on
faculty at the 22nd Morningside Music Bridge program in Warsaw, Poland. Hirzer trained as a pianist and holds bachelor’s (University of Victoria) and master’s (McGill University) degrees, as well as an ARCT obtained at age 17.