Roots & Branches Concert Series

Program to be announced from the stage

Hailed for his “trademark brilliance, penetrating sound and rich character” (The New York Times), clarinetist Anthony McGill enjoys a dynamic international solo and chamber music career and is principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic — the first African-American principal player in the organization's history. He is the recipient of the 2020 Avery Fisher Prize, one of classical music’s most significant awards.

McGill appears as a soloist with top orchestras, including the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics, the Metropolitan Opera and the Baltimore, Boston, Chicago and Detroit Symphony Orchestras. He performed alongside Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma and Gabriela Montero at the inauguration of President Barack Obama, premiering a piece by John Williams. As a chamber musician, McGill is a collaborator of the Brentano, Daedalus, Guarneri, JACK, Miró, Pacifica, Shanghai, Takács and Tokyo Quartets, and performs with leading artists including Emanuel Ax, Inon Barnatan, Gloria Chien, Yefim Bronfman, Gil Shaham, Midori, Mitsuko Uchida and Lang Lang.

He serves on the faculty of The Juilliard School and is the Artistic Director for Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program. He holds the William R. and Hyunah Yu Brody Distinguished Chair at the Curtis Institute of Music.

In 2020, McGill’s #TakeTwoKnees campaign protesting the death of George Floyd and historic racial injustice went viral. In 2023, he partnered with Bryan Stevenson and the Equal Justice Initiative to organize a classical music industry convening at EJI’s Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama, in which leaders and artists in classical music examined America’s history of racial inequality and how this legacy continues to impact their work. anthonymcgill.com

This concert is part of “Roots and Branches,” Wave Hill’s indoor concert series featuring artists from across musical disciplines, exploring how traditions and heritage inspire musical exploration and growth.

Banner image: David McQueen, Stacked drawing plans for gramophones, 2015.

Evening of Transcendent Sound (January 21): Carefully curated pieces performed by the Bronx Arts Ensemble are followed by a tranquil soundbathing experience, complete with comfortable floor seating and warm tea.

More from our Roots and Branches concert series in Armor Hall. Upcoming dates:

• Chromic Duo (February 25): Award-winning pianists Lucy Yao and Dorothy Chan blend toy piano, electronics, and multimedia into a program about connection.
• Telmary (March 24): Street poet and musician, Telmary has emerged as a leader and trendsetter on the cutting edge of hip-hop and urban music in Cuba.