By Dariel Cuevas
I went to the Orchestral Performance Masterclass led by clarinetist John Bruce Yeh, at the Manhattan School of Music on February 25, 2026 and what struck me right away was how much his professional identity shaped the whole event. The program introduces him as “Chicago Symphony Orchestra Assistant Principal Clarinet and E‑flat Clarinet,”¹ which immediately sets a certain expectation. That line alone tells you he’s someone who has spent decades inside one of the world’s top orchestras, and it made me listen to him differently—not just as a soloist, but as someone who understands how a clarinet line fits into a much bigger musical picture. Throughout the masterclass, that’s exactly what came through. His comments were always about color, phrasing, and intention, not just technique.
I do not actually play the clarinet and I do not have a connection to the clarinet so a clarinet performance was not an obvious choice. I chose this because it was a convenient day and time for me so I was able to attend and enjoy the performance without having to worry about time and it was a masterclass with a major Chicago Symphony musician so I thought it would at least be interesting. Some people would probably find masterclasses dull, slow, or even overly technical but this masterclass did not feel that way at all. The way Yeh explained things made the whole experience engaging and through that he was able to keep the overall energy up. It felt less like watching a lesson and more like seeing a behind the scenes of the thinking of orchestral musicians.
The event took place in Charles Myers Recital Hall, which is a comfortable mid‑sized space—big enough to feel like a real performance, but small enough that you can catch everydetail. I liked that. It didn’t feel intimidating or overly formal. The audience was mostly students and faculty, and the vibe was welcoming. Even though Yeh is a major orchestral figure, he didn’t carry himself in a way that created distance. Instead, he made the room feel like a shared workspace, which made it easier to settle in and really listen.
The program covered a huge range of orchestral excerpts. The printed program lists everything very precisely, like “ZOLTÁN KODÁLY — Dances of Galánta (MM. 31–65)”² and “FELIX MENDELSSOHN — Symphony No. 3… II. Scherzo… (MM. 8–67)”³. Seeing those measure numbers reminded me that this wasn’t a recital—it was a deep dive into the hardest parts of the clarinet repertoire. Hearing these excerpts back‑to‑back actually made the afternoon feel more cohesive than I expected. Even though the composers span different eras, the clarinet’s personality—sometimes playful, sometimes lyrical, sometimes biting—tied everything together.
The piece that stayed with me the most was Respighi’s Pines of Rome, “I pini del Gianicolo.” On the page, it’s just listed as “III. I pini del Gianicolo,”⁴ but Yeh turned it into something almost vocal. His demonstration had this floating, suspended quality, and he talked about how to shape the line so it feels like it’s breathing. After the event, I listened to a few recordings, including the Chicago Symphony’s version. Hearing it in the context of the full orchestra was a really different experience from just the masterclass. In the masterclass the clarinet line stood alone, almost like a soliloquy, and Yeh focused on how to make it shimmer and breathe, but in the recording, that same line floats above a soft, glowing orchestral texture and it becomes part of a much larger atmosphere. Both versions were beautiful, but the contrast made me appreciate the piece even more. The recording is beautiful, but hearing Yeh explain and then immediately show how to make the phrase shimmer made the live experience feel more personal. There’s something about being in the room with the sound that no recording can quite match.
Other excerpts had their own moments. The Mendelssohn Scherzo showed off the students’ agility. The Shostakovich Symphony No. 9 excerpts brought out the clarinet’s darker, sarcastic side. Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony passages—listed in the program as “I. Erwachen… MM. 474–492” and “II. Scene am Bach. MM. 68–77”⁵—were surprisingly tricky, and Yeh spent time helping the students balance simplicity with elegance. Even the short Ravel Boléro excerpt became a lesson in control and tone color.
The student performers—Andrei Caval, Alice Choi, and Juwon Won—each brought something different. Caval had a warm, centered sound; Choi played with clean articulation; Won had a particularly expressive upper register. They were all strong, though not equally polished, which is normal in a masterclass. What made the performances engaging was how Yeh interacted with them. His feedback was specific and immediately useful. He didn’t just say “play more musically”—he showed how a phrase could “sing,” or how a dotted rhythm could feel lighter, or how a small shift in tone could change the character of a passage. Watching him coach them was honestly one of the best parts of the event.
The performers dressed in standard recital attire—professional but not overly formal—which matched the tone of the afternoon. Yeh spoke often to the audience, explaining context and interpretive choices. In this setting, that was absolutely the right call. It made the excerpts feel more accessible, even for listeners who might not know the orchestral repertoire
well. If I had the chance, I would definitely hear him again.
Overall, the event exceeded my expectations. It combined high‑level playing with real insight into how orchestral musicians think. The variety of repertoire kept things interesting, and Yeh’s musicianship tied everything together. I would absolutely recommend this kind of event to a friend, even someone who isn’t a clarinetist. It was the kind of experience that makes you appreciate how much artistry goes into even a single orchestral line.
Looking back, I’m glad I ended up at this event almost by accident. I didn’t expect a masterclass to be this engaging, but Yeh’s musicianship and the variety of excerpts made it feel like a full musical experience rather than something technical.
Endnotes
1. “Chicago Symphony Orchestra Assistant Principal Clarinet and E‑flat Clarinet.”
Orchestral Performance Masterclass Program, p. 1.
2. “ZOLTÁN KODÁLY — Dances of Galánta (MM. 31–65).” Program, p. 1.
3. “FELIX MENDELSSOHN — Symphony No. 3… (MM. 8–67).” Program, p. 1.
4. “III. I pini del Gianicolo.” Program, p. 1.
5. “I. Erwachen… (MM. 474–492)… II. Scene am Bach. (MM. 68–77).” Program, p. 1.Works Cited
Orchestral Performance Masterclass Program. Manhattan School of Music, 25 Feb. 2025.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Pines of Rome, conducted by Riccardo Muti. YouTube, uploaded by CSO, date accessed.
Additional recordings of Mendelssohn, Shostakovich, Beethoven, and Ravel excerpts accessed via YouTube.
