MEET THE ARTISTS
Palmetto Clarinet Festival
Dr. Karl Kolbeck
Wayne State College
Karl Kolbeck serves as Professor of Woodwinds at Wayne State College in Nebraska. He holds degrees from Adams State College, The University of New Mexico and Texas Tech University. His primary teachers include Barry McGinnis, Keith Lemmons, David Shea and David Dees.
Kolbeck has performed with numerous orchestras and other ensembles throughout Nebraska, Iowa, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona. He currently performs with the Sioux City Municipal Band, Crazy 8 Brass Band, Clarinet Spectrum, and makes frequent appearances with the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra. As a founding member of the Black Box Trio and Trio Mezzklarno, Kolbeck is an advocate for the performance of new music and has been involved in several commissions and premieres. He has participated in recording projects for Summit Records and Naxos, and has performed at conferences hosted by the International Clarinet Association, North American Saxophone Alliance, National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors and College Music Society. Kolbeck is a D’Addario Woodwinds Performing Artist.
Prof. Robert DiLutis
University of Maryland
Robert DiLutis is Professor of Clarinet at the University of Maryland and in his 8th season as Principal Clarinetist of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra. Mr. DiLutis previously taught at Louisiana State University and held positions with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, San Antonio Symphony Orchestra and Eastman School of Music. His recent recitals and classes have included the Graz Conservatory in Austria, ClarinetPasto in Colombia South America, Cincinnati Clarinet Mini-Fest, University of Michigan, Interlochen Arts Academy and Clarinetfest, Madrid, Spain and Ostend, Belgium. Born in Baltimore, Maryland to a family of musicians, Mr. DiLutis studied with William Blayney and later at the Juilliard School with David Weber of the NYC Ballet. In 1989 he made his Carnegie Recital Hall debut as the winner of the Artist International Chamber Music Competition. As a soloist Mr. DiLutis has performed with the San Antonio Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Baton Rouge Symphony. Mr. DiLutis has toured with the New York Philharmonic and is co-director of the Clarinet Academy of America. In addition to his performance career Mr. DiLutis is the creator of the Reed Machine, a reed-making device used by top professionals around the world. Mr. DiLutis is an Artist for Buffet Crampon, Rovner, and Lohff and Pfieffer USA. His work can be heard on the Delos, RM Records and Tonsehen labels.
Prof. David Drosinos
Peabody Institute
David Drosinos received his diploma from the Peabody Conservatory of Music. He studied clarinet with Loren Kitt, principal clarinetist with the National Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Drosinos won the Sidney Jensen Memorial Award for outstanding clarinet performance and has been a guest artist at the Greek Embassy in Washington and the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.
The Washington Post praised him as "playing with an unusually smooth and agile touch." On the Finzi Clarinet Concerto the Baltimore Sun noted “He played the idyllic score with technical security, tonal warmth and exceptionally eloquent phrasing.” David’s performance of the Copland Concerto was unmatched by any in Baltimore. The Baltimore Sun stated “Copland’s Clarinet Concerto had a confident and dynamic protagonist in David Drosinos. He spun the lyrical lines with considerable warmth.”
Mr. Drosinos was the principal clarinetist and soloist with the Peabody Symphony Orchestra on their tour to Russia, and a featured soloist with the Concert Artists of Baltimore. He has performed in Greece, Ireland, Moscow, Finland, the Bahamas, and all over the continental United States. His Greek Band Zephyros was a featured act at the International Clarinet Association in Washington, DC. In 2010
David traveled to St Petersburg, Russia where he did the International premiere and recording of the Sowash Clarinet Concerto with the St. Petersburg Symphony. David is a versatile and seasoned clarinetist who has enchanted audiences from "Maryland to Moscow."
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Mr. Drosinos resides in Cockeysville, Maryland and is in much demand with performing groups in the greater Baltimore-Washington area. He teaches at Shepherd University, The Baltimore School for the Arts, and The Peabody Preparatory.
Prof. D. Ray McClellan
University of Georgia
Acclaimed for "a remarkable technique, tone and lyricism", D. Ray McClellan is Professor of Clarinet at the University of Georgia, and a member of the Georgia Woodwind Quintet. Prior to his appointment at the University of Georgia, he held professorships at James Madison University and Henderson State University. Mr. McClellan is a former clarinetist and soloist with “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band. He has appeared internationally in recitals and as concerto soloist in Canada, Taiwan, Japan, Italy, Brazil, Kenya, Tanzania and the Czech Republic.
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Mr. McClellan has been principal clarinetist of The Savannah Orchestra, guest principal clarinetist with the Augusta Symphony, Charleston Symphony, Alexandria Symphony, and the Garden State Philharmonic and has performed with The Ying Quartet and the Nostich Quartet in the Czech Republic. Mr. McClellan performed recitals at the International Clarinet Convention in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010 and in 2014. He has recorded chamber music discs with ACA Digital and the Clarinet Concerto by Gerald Finzi with Phoenix USA. Many of his students occupy clarinet positions in orchestras, military bands and universities.
Mr. McClellan holds three degrees from The Juilliard School where he studied with world-renowned pedagogue David Weber. Formerly the Co-Artistic Director and Host of ClarinetFest® 2006 in Atlanta, McClellan is an Artist/Clinician for Buffet Crampon clarinets. He resides in Athens, Georgia with his wife and four children. His website is www.draymcclellan.com.
