Victor Chávez, clarinet

Dr. Victor Chávez, Jr. is a Mexican-American, fifth-generation musician from El Paso, Texas. In 2014, he was appointed Assistant Professor of Clarinet at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and currently holds tenured orchestral positions with the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra in Johnson City, Tennessee, Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the TriCities Opera Company in Binghamton, New York. He is also the newly appointed bass clarinetist with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.

This concert includes the charming 5 Bagatelles by Gerald Finzi, Sonatina by the Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu and the dazzling Grand Duo Concertant by Carl Maria von Weber. Dr. Chavez recital is sponsored by the Madison Association of Clarinetists.

Chavez has been a guest clinician for KMTA/TMTA, various universities and secondary education institutions throughout the United States as well as lectured and performed at the International Clarinet Association Festivals in Baton Rouge, LA 2013; Madrid, Spain 2014; Lawrence, Kansas 2015; Orlando, Florida 2016; Ostend, Belgium; and the College Music Society Conference. He has worked with Clarinets for Conservation in Moshi, Tanzania, teaching and advocating for greater awareness and preservation of African Blackwood (mpingo) used to make clarinets. His solo performances can be heard on WUOT 91.9 FM, Knoxville. In June of 2017, he performed his Carnegie Hall debut in Weill Recital Hall with pianist Joong Han Jung as part of the Vijon Duo.

He has performed with The Cleveland Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Waco Symphony Orchestra, Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra, Erie Chamber Orchestra, Belton Symphony Orchestra, Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra, Symphony of the Mountains and Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra Chamber Series.

He has earned various prizes as a performer: twice at the El Paso Artists Guild Concerto Competition; twice at the Entergy Young Texas Artists Competition; Baylor University Concerto Competition; the International Sorantin Concerto; DePaul University Concerto Competition; and the Round Top Festival Concerto Competition. He has attended the Brevard Music Festival, Blossom Music Festival, and Round Top Music Festival and has earned degrees from Baylor University-BME, DePaul University-MM, and The Eastman School of Music-DMA. His primary pedagogues include Larry Combs, Guy Deplus, Jon Manasse, Julie Deroche, Kenneth Grant, Dr. Richard Shanley, Dan McKelway, Alan Olson, and Vin Richards.

In 2006, Chavez was awarded the prestigious Fulbright Lusk Fellowship, allowing him to study in Paris, France, under the tutelage of Guy Deplus. While in Paris, Vic conducted his Fulbright research in pedagogy, performance practice, organology and literature. Vic was recently awarded the Artistic Directorship for the International Clarinet Association’s ClarinetFest®2019 at the University of Tennessee. Vic is a Buffet Crampon Artist and exclusively plays on Buffet Crampon clarinets.

In 2019, Dr. Chavez hosted International Clarinet Association’s ClarinetFest®2019, the largest clarinet conference in the world, on the University of Tennessee campus.  He is a proud member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity.