Biography

Chad Burrow is recognized as one of the premiere clarinetists of his generation. He has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician in concert halls across the globe. The European press has said that Chad performs with "brilliant technique and tonal beauty mixed with an expressive ferocity." Danish critic Henrik Svane went on to describe a performance as filled with "virtuosity, energy, and power without compromise." The New York Times recently called a Carnegie Hall appearance in Poulenc's Sonata as giving a "strong impression" and being a "bright and genial account."

In 2009, Chad was appointed to the clarinet faculty of the University of Michigan, where he teaches clarinet, chamber music, and has served as the director for the Michigan Chamber Players. Additionally, he serves as co-artistic director and clarinetist for the Brightmusic Society of Oklahoma. He also serves on the faculty of the Alpenkammermusik Festival in Austria. Chad is the current principal clarinetist with the Ann Arbor Symphony, the New American Sinfonietta, and the Arizona Musicfest Orchestra. He also regularly performs with the Detroit Opera (acting principal clarinet in the fall of 2023), the Detroit Symphony, and the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings. Chad is the former principal clarinetist of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, the New Haven Symphony, Quartz Mountain Music Festival, and the past Associate Professor of Clarinet at Oklahoma City University.

Chad's recent concert engagements abroad have included concerts in Austria, Denmark's Thy Chamber Music Festival, recitals in the National Concert Hall in Taipei, Taiwan, concerts in Strasbourg, France, and Concerto appearances with the Taichung Philharmonic, the "Classic" Orchestra of Taichung and the Shin Sharn Ensemble in Taipei. Recent performances in the United States have included appearances with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in Alice Tully Hall, Chamber Music Northwest, and performances on a series of Benny Goodman centennial concerts in Carnegie Hall and Yale University. Other performances have included venues at Rice University, the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York, the University of Houston, multiple International Clarinet Association conferences, Northwestern University, the Music Mansion in Providence (RI), Notre Dame University, Texas Tech University, University of North Texas, University of, Texas Christian University, the University of Texas, Louisiana State University and the University of Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium, and others. Chad has also performed with numerous orchestras, including the Ann Arbor Symphony, Cumberland Orchestra, and the Longview Symphony. You can find a recently released recording of William Bolcom's Clarinet Concerto with the University of Michigan Symphony Band on the Equilibrium label.

In addition to his own schedule of performances, Chad is the clarinetist for Duo Clarion, formed in 1999 at Yale University with pianist Amy I-Lin Cheng. Duo Clarion maintains an active performance schedule throughout the United States, Europe, and the Far East. Duo Clarion's work has been recorded and released by Albany Records, CD Baby, and Wei Studios in Taiwan. The Duo's most recent recording features works of Brahms and Schumann on CD Baby. Violinist Sean Wang joins Duo Clarion to form Trio Solari. The trio has had a regular touring schedule around the world since 2006. Trio Solari recently released their first recording of eclectic repertoire on the Centaur label.

Chad has won prizes and awards from the 2001 Young Concert Artist International Competition in New York City, the 2000 Woolsey Hall Competition, the 2000 Artist International Competition, and the 1997 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. He holds degrees from Yale and Northwestern Universities.

Chad serves as a performing artist for Backun Musical Services. He plays exclusively on Backun clarinets.