Biography

Chad Burrow is recognized as one of the leading clarinetists of his generation. He has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in major concert halls around the world. The European press has praised his playing for its “brilliant technique and tonal beauty mixed with an expressive ferocity,” and Danish critic Henrik Svane described one performance as “virtuosity, energy, and power without compromise.” The New York Times, reviewing a Carnegie Hall appearance in Poulenc’s Sonata, noted the “strong impression” he made and called it a “bright and genial account.”

In 2009, Burrow joined the esteemed faculty at the University of Michigan as a Professor of Music, specializing in clarinet and chamber music. He has served as the director of the Michigan Chamber Players and is a co-artistic director and clarinetist for the Brightmusic Society of Oklahoma. Additionally, he serves on the faculty of the Alpenkammermusik Festival in Austria. Currently, Burrow holds the position of principal clarinetist with the Ann Arbor Symphony and the New American Sinfonietta at the Hamptons Festival of Music. Burrow performs regularly with Detroit Opera (acting principal clarinet in fall 2023), the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings, and the Chamber Soloists of Detroit. His distinguished career includes previous roles as principal clarinet of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, the New Haven Symphony, the Arizona Musicfest Orchestra, and the Quartz Mountain Music Festival. He also served as an Associate Professor of Clarinet at Oklahoma City University.

Burrow’s recent international engagements include concerts across Europe and Asia, such as concerts in Austria, at Denmark’s Thy Chamber Music Festival, and recitals at Taipei’s National Concert Hall. He has also performed in Strasbourg, France, and performed concertos with the Taichung Philharmonic, the “Classic” Orchestra of Taichung, and the Shin Sharn Ensemble in Taipei. In the United States, his performances feature collaborations with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center at Alice Tully Hall, appearances at Chamber Music Northwest, and a series of Benny Goodman centennial concerts at Carnegie Hall and Yale University. Burrow’s additional roles as a teacher and performer include appearances at many of the top conservatories and universities across the United States, along with numerous performances at regional clarinet symposiums and International Clarinet Association conferences. He has performed as a soloist with many orchestras nationwide. His recent recording of William Bolcom’s Clarinet Concerto with the University of Michigan Symphony Band is available on the Equilibrium label.

In addition to his solo and orchestral work, Burrow is the clarinetist of Duo Clarion, formed in 1999 at Yale University with pianist Amy I-Lin Cheng. Duo Clarion maintains an active performance schedule across the United States, Europe, and the Far East. Their recordings are available on Albany Records, CD Baby, and Wei Studios (Taiwan). The most recent release, American Landscape (2025), features works by Etezady, Baker, Kurtz, and Ritter George on Centaur Records. Violinist Sean Wang joins Duo Clarion to form Trio Solari, which has toured regularly worldwide since 2006 and recently released its first recording, an eclectic program, on the Centaur label.

Burrow has received prizes and awards from the Young Concert Artists International Competition (2001), the Woolsey Hall Competition (2000), the Artists International Competition (2000), and the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition (1997). He holds degrees from Yale University, Northwestern University, and Knox Theological Seminary.

Chad Burrow is a performing artist for Backun Musical Services and plays exclusively on Backun clarinets.