The Sidney Forrest Clarinet Virtual Competition Past Judges
2020
Dr. Albert Hunt has performed in chamber music and solo concerts throughout the United States, Latin America, Asia, and Europe. He was principal clarinetist of the Pensacola Symphony in Florida and performed in the clarinet sections of the Cleveland Orchestra and Orchestra of St. Luke’s, among others. After earning a DMA at The Juilliard School and an MM at Manhattan School of Music, he was a full-time faculty member at the University of West Florida, Oberlin Conservatory, and the Alabama School of Fine Arts. Dr. Hunt has presented masterclasses throughout the United States, and his students have been finalists in international competitions. He is International Coordinator of Sinfonía por la Vida, an organization dedicated to social inclusion through music. For more information, visit his website: www.AlbertHunt.net. Dr. Hunt is a judge for the competition finals in 2020.
Rick Vare is a clarinetist in the “President’s Own” United States Marine Band, a position he has held for 26 years. In addition to Marine Band solo and chamber music performances, he is a frequent performer at the White House. He holds a master’s degree in clarinet performance from the University of Maryland where he studied with David Jones, and earned a bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College as a student of Robert Schmidt. Additional clarinet instructors include James Spadafore, Ralph D’Mello, John Flaver Jr., Ronald Caravan, Ray McClellan, and David Weber. Mr. Vare has performed with the Pan-American Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC, as well as the Columbia Pro Cantare and Chesapeake Orchestras in Maryland. He has conducted clinics and masterclasses at Ithaca College, Cornell University, Gettysburg College, University of Georgia, Casper College, as well as in high schools and middle schools across the country. He and his wife, Christin, maintain an active woodwind studio in the Washington, DC area. He is a judge for the competition finals in 2020.
Jennifer Hughson is a vibrant musician who regularly performs throughout the Eastern seaboard. Ms. Hughson is a lecturer in music at Morgan State University, where she teaches applied clarinet and woodwind methods. Ms. Hughson is a current member of the Washington Chamber Orchestra, Liberty Wind Symphony, and the Mind on Fire New Music Ensemble. She has also performed with the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, The American Pops Orchestra, The Mid-Atlantic Symphony, Symphony in C, as well as the NakedEye New Music Ensemble. Ms. Hughson received her Bachelor of Music degree in clarinet performance from Indiana University, studying with Howard Klug, and her Master of Music degree in clarinet performance from the Peabody Conservatory, studying with Steven Barta. She is a judge for the competition finals in 2020.
Alexander Bedenko is a multi-award winning clarinetist who has performed with major orchestras, ensembles, and festivals in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Born in the Ukraine into a family of musicians, he studied with Sidney Forrest at Interlochen and graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music where he studied with Donald Montanaro. His numerous first prizes include: Moscow International Young Artist’s Competition, the Interlochen Center for the Arts Concerto Competition, and Grand-Prix and Laureate at the International Selmer Clarinet Competition in Kiev. Among his many scholarships, he was awarded the named scholarship of the President of Ukraine. Mr. Bedenko has performed at top recital halls in the United States and Europe, was broadcast on European television, and broadcast on radio in the United States. He has performed as principal clarinetist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on a European tour, as guest principal clarinetist with the London Symphony Orchestra, and also performed with the Philharmonia Orchestra (London) and the Cleveland Orchestra. He recorded the music of J.S. Bach with Richard Stoltzman for the RCA/BMG Japan label. Mr. Bedenko is a Selmer Paris artist and a D’Addario woodwinds artist. We gratefully thank him for assisting with our preliminary round competition in 2020.
Rick Vare is a clarinetist in the “President’s Own” United States Marine Band, a position he has held for 26 years. In addition to Marine Band solo and chamber music performances, he is a frequent performer at the White House. He holds a master’s degree in clarinet performance from the University of Maryland where he studied with David Jones, and earned a bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College as a student of Robert Schmidt. Additional clarinet instructors include James Spadafore, Ralph D’Mello, John Flaver Jr., Ronald Caravan, Ray McClellan, and David Weber. Mr. Vare has performed with the Pan-American Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC, as well as the Columbia Pro Cantare and Chesapeake Orchestras in Maryland. He has conducted clinics and masterclasses at Ithaca College, Cornell University, Gettysburg College, University of Georgia, Casper College, as well as in high schools and middle schools across the country. He and his wife, Christin, maintain an active woodwind studio in the Washington, DC area. He is a judge for the competition finals in 2020.
Jennifer Hughson is a vibrant musician who regularly performs throughout the Eastern seaboard. Ms. Hughson is a lecturer in music at Morgan State University, where she teaches applied clarinet and woodwind methods. Ms. Hughson is a current member of the Washington Chamber Orchestra, Liberty Wind Symphony, and the Mind on Fire New Music Ensemble. She has also performed with the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, The American Pops Orchestra, The Mid-Atlantic Symphony, Symphony in C, as well as the NakedEye New Music Ensemble. Ms. Hughson received her Bachelor of Music degree in clarinet performance from Indiana University, studying with Howard Klug, and her Master of Music degree in clarinet performance from the Peabody Conservatory, studying with Steven Barta. She is a judge for the competition finals in 2020.
Alexander Bedenko is a multi-award winning clarinetist who has performed with major orchestras, ensembles, and festivals in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Born in the Ukraine into a family of musicians, he studied with Sidney Forrest at Interlochen and graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music where he studied with Donald Montanaro. His numerous first prizes include: Moscow International Young Artist’s Competition, the Interlochen Center for the Arts Concerto Competition, and Grand-Prix and Laureate at the International Selmer Clarinet Competition in Kiev. Among his many scholarships, he was awarded the named scholarship of the President of Ukraine. Mr. Bedenko has performed at top recital halls in the United States and Europe, was broadcast on European television, and broadcast on radio in the United States. He has performed as principal clarinetist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on a European tour, as guest principal clarinetist with the London Symphony Orchestra, and also performed with the Philharmonia Orchestra (London) and the Cleveland Orchestra. He recorded the music of J.S. Bach with Richard Stoltzman for the RCA/BMG Japan label. Mr. Bedenko is a Selmer Paris artist and a D’Addario woodwinds artist. We gratefully thank him for assisting with our preliminary round competition in 2020.
