Johannes Gmeinder

Masterclass Clarinet

Johannes Gmeinder was born in 1976 in Konstanz, located on Lake Constance.  

He pursued studies at the State University of Music Trossingen with Prof. Waldemar Wandel and at the Berlin University of the Arts with Prof. François Benda. In 1996, he joined the Orchestra Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic.  

In 1994, he was awarded a scholarship by the Baden-Württemberg Art Foundation and, starting in 1998, was supported by the Rhineland-Palatinate State Foundation "Villa Musica."  

From 1999, Johannes Gmeinder served as principal clarinetist of the Opera and Museum Orchestra in Frankfurt/Main.  

In the same role, he performed with the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne, the Dortmund Philharmonic, the Essen Philharmonic, the Bavarian State Opera, the Bamberg Symphony, the Munich Philharmonic, the Dresden Staatskapelle, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Berlin State Opera, the Deutsche Radio Philharmonic Saarbrücken/Kaiserslautern, the NDR Radiophilharmonie Hanover, the symphony orchestras of North German, West German, and Bavarian Radio, the Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig, and the Berlin Philharmonic. Additionally, he was a member of the festival orchestra at the Bayreuth Festival.  

This extensive experience allowed him to collaborate with renowned conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Zubin Mehta, Günter Wand, Daniel Harding, Kurt Sanderling, Mariss Jansons, Lorin Maazel, Neeme Järvi, Sir Colin Davis, Christian Thielemann, Bernard Haitink, Daniel Barenboim, Sir Simon Rattle, Paavo Järvi, and Kirill Petrenko.  

As an orchestral musician, soloist, chamber musician, and educator, Johannes Gmeinder has performed at prestigious festivals and events, including the Schwetzinger Festspiele, Musiktage Hitzacker, Domleschger Sommerkonzerte, Salzburg Festival, Felicia Blumental International Music Festival in Tel Aviv, BBC Proms, Weilburg Palace Concerts, Starnberg Music Days, and Seefeld Music Days.  

Since 2010, Johannes Gmeinder has served as the Chairman of the German Clarinet Society and, since 2011, as the National Chairperson for Germany in the International Clarinet Association (ICA).  

His teaching career began in 2001 with positions at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts, followed by the Berlin University of the Arts in 2003, and the State University of Music and Performing Arts Mannheim in 2004.  

In 2004, Johannes Gmeinder was appointed Professor of Clarinet at the University of Music Mainz, and in 2009, he became Professor of Clarinet and Chamber Music at the University of Music Saarbrücken.  

In 2017, he accepted the position of Professor of Clarinet at the University of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig.  

Johannes Gmeinder has performed across Asia, the United States, Scandinavia, and Europe. He regularly conducts masterclasses and is a sought-after juror for international competitions.  

Recordings featuring Johannes Gmeinder have been released on labels such as MDG, Bremen Radio Hall Records, and Coviello Classics.  

He plays clarinets made by Schwenk & Seggelke.