Jerry Kirkbride

Jerry Kirkbride is an American clarinetist, member of the Dorian Wind Quintet and Professor of Clarinet at the University of Arizona.

Kirkbride is currently considered to be one of the best American clarinetists. He graduated from the University of Southern California, where he studied with Mitchell Lurie. After graduation, he was awarded a Fulbright Grant to continue his studies in Rome, Italy, where he worked with such artists as Nadia Boulanger, Efrem Kurtz, and Franco Ferrera.

Kirkbride was principal clarinetist with the Metropolitan Opera National Company and was a Creative Associate at the Center of the Creative and Performing Arts at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Kirkbride has performed in numerous chamber music concerts and freelanced extensively in New York City for many years. He was principal clarinetist of the Brooklyn Philharmonic for six years. In 1970 he joined the Dorian Wind Quintet and has toured the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe extensively as well as India, Pakistan, and the Middle East. Kirkbride is also a member of the Arizona Wind Quintet. He was principal clarinetist with the Arizona Opera from 1989 to 1998 and performs each year at the Desert Music Fest in Carefree/Cave Creek, Arizona. He has recorded for Vox, Columbia, CRI, Deutsche Grammophon, New World, Lapis Island and Summit Records.

Jerry Kirkbride has been professor of music for clarinet at the University of Arizona since 1987. He wrote the clarinet section of Teaching Woodwinds, a text for college wind instrumental techniques classes and has several editions and arrangements published by International Music Publishing Company.