Yulian Milkis One of the leading clarinetists in the world Country: USA

Julian Milkis: A Biography

One of the world's leading clarinetists, Julian Milkis is renowned in both classical and jazz music. He was born into a family of a concertmaster and a pianist in 1957 in the city of Odessa, where he stayed for only three weeks before moving to Leningrad with his family. At the age of 5, he began learning to play the piano, joining the music school affiliated with the conservatory. When 11-year-old Milkis failed his yearly exam, which was considered a disgrace, his piano was taken away and he was switched to the clarinet. At the age of 14, he was expelled from school after burning his Pioneer tie in front of everyone. He did this as a protest when students from Prague told him about Soviet tanks crushing children in Czechoslovakia. In 1974, his parents immigrated to Toronto, Canada, where 17-year-old Julian continued his education. In 1978, he moved to New York, starting his studies at Norwich University in Vermont (majoring in Russian literature and language), and later graduated from the Manhattan School of Music, receiving his first bachelor's degree. Milkis also enrolled in the graduate program at the Juilliard School. In 1983, Julian won the "Artists International" competition, which helped him make his debut at Carnegie Hall. Additionally, he received a review in the New York Times. In 1981-1982, he met Victor Nekrasov at Norwich University. Milkis visited him in Paris, and after his first concert in Paris, the clarinetist received a review from Victor Platonovich. To this day, Milkis treasures this article from the newspaper "Novoe Russkoe Slovo," which is very dear to him. For almost three years, starting in September 1983, the clarinetist studied under the guidance of Benny Goodman, who passed away in June 1986. Julian himself refers to himself as Goodman's "only student," and rightfully so, as the legendary "King of Swing" never took on students before meeting Julian. Milkis's career began to gain momentum, and he started touring more and more frequently. Subsequently, his concerts were broadcasted on radio and television in Europe, Canada, Asia, and, of course, the United States. One of the strongest influences on the musician, according to his own words, was pianist Valery Afanasyev, whom Julian first heard in the 1980s. The musicians became friends and often performed together. He also met jazz pianist Dick Hyman and Georgian and Russian composer Giya Kancheli. Julian collaborated with esteemed conductors such as Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Mark Gorenstein, Alexander Chernushenko, Alexander Rudin, Arnold Katz, and many others. He gave joint jazz concerts with Igor Butman, Dick Hyman, and others, as well as performed together with Yuri Bashmet, Gerard Caussé, Alexander Rudin, the St. Petersburg String Quartet, and Alexander Kniazev. Concertos were specifically written for him by B. Tishchenko, A. Yusfin, I. Raikhelson, O. Petrova, and M. Weinberg. By the way, Milkis exclusively plays Yamaha clarinets.