Clarinetist Anthony McGill performs as featured artist at 2009 Presidential Inauguration

See the Video Here!

The Inaugural "Swearing-in" Ceremony Program

This is how the ceremony occurred.

This program was announced by The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies for the 56th Presidential Inauguration, which took place on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol.

The program participants were based on requests from the President-elect and the Vice President-elect.

The order of the program was as follows:

Musical Selections

The United States Marine Band

Musical Selections

The San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus

Call to Order and Welcoming Remarks

The Honorable Dianne Feinstein

Invocation

Dr. Rick Warren, Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, CA

Musical Selection

Aretha Franklin

Oath of Office Administered to Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

By Associate Justice of the Supreme Court

The Honorable John Paul Stevens

Air and Simple Gifts, John Williams, composer/arranger

Yo-Yo Ma, Cello

Clarinetist Anthony McGill

Gabriela Montero, Piano

Itzhak Perlman, Violin

Oath of Office Administered to President-elect Barack H. Obama

By the Chief Justice of the United StatesThe Honorable John G. Roberts, Jr.

Inaugural AddressThe President of the United States, The Honorable Barack H. Obama

Poem

Elizabeth Alexander

Benediction

The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery

The National Anthem

The United States Navy Band "Sea Chanters"

Clarinetist Anthony McGill, winner of an Avery Fisher Career Grant, currently serves as principal clarinet of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Prior to this position he was associate principal clarinet of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, following studies at the Curtis Institute with Donald Montanaro and at the Interlochen Arts Academy with Richard Hawkins. An experienced chamber musician, he has participated at the Marlboro Music Festival, Sarasota Festival, Tanglewood, La Musica International Chamber Music Festival, and Music@Menlo. Since his solo debut in 1991, McGill has appeared with the Baltimore and New Jersey Symphonies, and with the Tokyo, Guarneri, and Avalon Quartets, and Opus One. He has been heard on Ravinia's Rising Star Series, toured with Musicians from Marlboro, performed at Carnegie Hall, and appeared at Lincoln Center as a member of its Chamber Music Society Two. Anthony McGill has also toured Japan with pianist Mitsuko Uchida and members of the Brentano Quartet, and has appeared in concert previously with cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

Yo-Yo Ma is a world renowned cellist, educator, and ambassador for the arts. His recordings are among the most successful recordings in the classical field, and reflect his wide-ranging interest in many musical genres and traditions. He began studying the cello at age four. He studied at the Juilliard School, and is a graduate of Harvard University. His awards include the Avery Fisher Prize, the Glenn Gould Prize, and the National Medal of the Arts. Appointed a CultureConnect Ambassador by the United States Department of State in 2002, Yo-Yo Ma has met with, trained, and mentored thousands of students worldwide. In 2006, Secretary General Kofi Annan named him a U.N. Messenger of Peace, and in 2007 Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon extended his appointment.

Gabriela Montero is a pianist known both for her impeccable classical playing and her improvisational gift. Montero gave her first public performance at the age of five. At age eight she made her concert debut with the Venezuelan Youth Orchestra, and was granted a scholarship to study in the United States. At twelve she won the Baldwin National Competition and AMSA Young Artist International Piano Competition. She won the Bronze Medal at the 13th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 1995, and since then has played at recital halls and festivals around the world. Her recordings include both performances of well known classical compositions, as well as improvisations on themes by Bach and other classical composers.

Itzhak Perlman is one of the greatest violinists of our time. Following his training at the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv and the Julliard School, Perlman won the prestigious Leventritt Competition in 1964. Since then, Perlman has performed with every major orchestra throughout the world. He has also conducted orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic, the Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, and the New York Philharmonic. He has won 15 Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, and numerous other awards including the Kennedy Center Honors, the National Medal of Arts, and the Medal of Liberty, presented by President Reagan in 1986 to honor the nation's most distinguished naturalized citizens during the centennial celebration of the Statue of Liberty. Perlman is also an educator, teaching at the Perlman Music Program and the Juilliard School, where he holds the Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation Chair.

John Williams is one of the most successful and best-known composers of our time. He studied at UCLA, Los Angeles City College, and the Juilliard School. Williams has composed the music and served as a music director for more than one hundred films, has received forty-five Academy Award nominations, and won five. He also has been awarded seven British Academy Awards (BAFTA), twenty Grammys, four Golden Globes, four Emmys, numerous gold and platinum records, and the Kennedy Center Honors. Williams has written many concert pieces, and special compositions for events including the Special Olympics, and the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. From1980-1993, Williams conducted the Boston Pops Orchestra, and assumed the title of Boston Pops Laureate Conductor after retiring in December 1993. Williams also holds the title of Artist-in-Residence at Tanglewood.

Now, hear Clarinetist Anthony McGill playing Mozart's "Parto, Parto" from La Clemenza di Tito and Susan Graham performing. Wow, beautiful sound Anthony...

Clarinetist Anthony McGill demonstrates how to put a clarinet reed onto the mouthpiece. Totally worth it for the clarinet lick at the beginning and end of this short video.

Clarinetist Anthony McGill gives a masterclass at the University of North Carolina. Student Jason Spencer plays the Mozart Clarinet Concerto. You will hear Mr. McGill demonstrate playing around the 7 minute mark. Beautiful sound!

Below is Part II of the same Masterclass...

I do not know the story behind Clarinetist Anthony McGill and Arturo Toscannini on this video, but it is pretty cool.

You've learned about Clarinetist Anthony McGill, now, learn more about other Famous Clarinetists.