clarinet.org

The International Clarinet Association (ICA) runs five named competitions listed on clarinet.org: the Composition Competition, Young Artist Competition, Junior Young Artist Competition, Orchestral Audition Competition, and Research Competition. The site's navigation groups them under a single "Competitions" section and also links to a page of ICA Competition Winners. The site does not publish eligibility rules, age limits, repertoire requirements, or deadlines in the material available here, so treat the descriptions below as a map of what exists and who each is generally aimed at—then confirm specifics on the competition pages before applying.

The Five Competitions at a Glance

Composition Competition

This is for composers rather than performers. It sits alongside the ICA's other creative programs, such as the New Music Weekend listed under Past Events. If you write for clarinet and want your work considered by the association, this is the relevant entry point.

Young Artist and Junior Young Artist Competitions

These are the two performance tracks, split by experience level. The "Junior" label signals a younger or earlier-stage division, while the Young Artist Competition is the higher-tier performance contest. Because the site does not state age cutoffs or repertoire lists in the available text, check each competition's own page for eligibility and required pieces before preparing an application.

Orchestral Audition Competition

This competition targets the orchestral side of clarinet playing—standard excerpts and audition conditions rather than solo repertoire. It is the natural fit for players building toward orchestral positions. The ICA also offers member access to Forza Excerpts, which supports excerpt preparation, though that is a membership benefit rather than part of the competition itself.

Research Competition

The Research Competition recognizes scholarly work related to the clarinet. It pairs with the association's broader research and archival activities, including the ICA Historic Recording Project and the James Gillespie Library listed under member resources.

Who Should Enter Which

• Composers → Composition Competition.
• Pre-college or early-stage performers → Junior Young Artist Competition.
• Advanced performers and college-level players → Young Artist Competition.
• Players aiming at orchestra jobs → Orchestral Audition Competition.
• Scholars and students doing academic work → Research Competition.

These mappings follow from the competition names and the site's structure; they are not official eligibility statements. The association does not publish entry requirements, fees, or dates in the page content available here, so verify each one directly.

Where to Find Winners and Details

The site maintains a dedicated ICA Competition Winners page, reachable from the Competitions section of the main navigation. That page is the place to see past results and get a sense of the standard each competition sets. Competition announcements and related programming also appear in the Events area, which lists items such as the New Music Weekend and ClarinetFest® events.

For anything time-sensitive—opening dates, submission formats, judging panels—go to the individual competition page or the Events calendar rather than relying on the navigation labels alone.

A Practical Next Step

If you are deciding whether to enter, start from the competition that matches your role (composer, performer, orchestral player, or researcher), open its page, and read the eligibility and repertoire requirements first. Then check the Competition Winners page to see the level of past recipients. That two-step check tells you quickly whether the competition fits your current stage before you invest time in preparing materials.

The International Clarinet Association (ICA) website, clarinet.org, offers practical resources in four main areas: health and wellness guidance, playing technique materials, community and service directories, and support for youth and pre-professional players. These resources are aimed at clarinetists and enthusiasts, and the site organizes them under its Resources section. The page evidence does not specify whether accessing them requires membership, so check each page for access conditions.

Health and Wellness Resources

The ICA Health and Wellness Committee maintains a set of pages grouped by topic:

• General resources — an overview hub for the committee's materials.
• Lifestyle resources — guidance on habits and routines around playing.
• Physical health resources — information related to the physical demands of clarinet playing.
• Mental health resources — support materials for mental well-being.
• Healthy recipe repository — a collection of recipes, with a Submit a Healthy Recipe option for contributions.

These pages suit players looking for general, non-clinical information. They are not a substitute for personalized medical advice.

Playing Technique Resources

Three technique areas are covered through dedicated resource pages:

These are useful starting points for players or teachers who want a structured reference on core clarinet fundamentals.

Directories and Community Lists

The site publishes several contact lists that help players find services and groups:

• Community Music Organization Contact List — organizations to connect with.
• Community Clarinet Choir List — clarinet choirs in the community.
• Clarinet Repair Technician List — technicians for instrument maintenance and repair.

These directories are practical when you need a repair professional, want to join a choir, or are looking for a local music organization.

Youth and Pre-Professional Support

Two committees address younger and emerging players:

• Youth Involvement Committee — resources and programming aimed at young clarinetists.
• College and Pre-Professional Committee Hub — a hub for students and those preparing for professional work.

Related Member and Publication Resources

Beyond the Resources section, the site lists member-facing materials such as the ICA James Gillespie Library, the ClarinetFest® Program Library and Database, the ICA Historic Recording Project, member access to NAXOS and Forza Excerpts, and member discounts (instrument insurance, liability insurance, RATstands, Tomplay). The page evidence does not state prices or whether these require paid membership, so confirm details on the relevant pages before relying on them.

How to Use These Resources

1. Start at the Resources section of clarinet.org and choose the committee or topic that matches your need.
2. For technique questions, open the Air Support and Tone, Articulation, or Embouchure pages.
3. For local services, use the repair technician, choir, or community organization lists.
4. For health-related material, browse the Health and Wellness subpages and the recipe repository.
5. If a page appears to be member-only, check the Membership section for access terms.

A common pitfall is assuming all listed resources are open to everyone; the site separates member benefits from public resources, so verify access on each page.

clarinet.org is the home of the International Clarinet Association (ICA), a community of clarinetists and enthusiasts who support the clarinet around the world. The site is the association's main hub: it explains who the ICA is and publishes its mission statement, and it hosts membership information, the association's publications, and its events. If you are a clarinet player, teacher, student, or enthusiast looking for a central organization to join, read publications from, or attend events with, this is the entry point.

What the ICA is

The ICA describes itself as a global community built around the clarinet. Its stated mission is set out on the site's Mission Statement section, and the organization presents itself as international in scope rather than tied to one country or region. That global framing shows up throughout the site in the form of international chairs, international partner clarinet organizations, and U.S. state chairs.

The association also documents its own structure and history. The site includes ICA policies and documents, a historical timeline, and a process for honorary member and legend nominations, so members and researchers can see how the organization is governed and how it has developed.

What the site offers

The site organizes its content into a few broad areas. The table below summarizes what each area covers, based on the site's navigation.

Two things stand out for anyone deciding whether to engage. First, the publications side is substantial: The Clarinet Journal is the association's journal, and there is a separate online publication, The Clarinet [Online]. Second, the events side is global and recurring, with ClarinetFest® editions scheduled years ahead (2026 in Incheon, South Korea; 2027 in Salt Lake City, Utah; 2028 in Monterrey, México) alongside LowFest editions and virtual programming.

Who it's for

The site's resources suggest several distinct audiences:

• Students and pre-professionals — the College and Pre-Professional Committee Hub and the Young Artist and Junior Young Artist competitions.
• Players focused on technique and health — the Health and Wellness Committee's general, lifestyle, physical, and mental health resources, plus air support and tone, articulation, and embouchure resources.
• Community musicians — the community music organization contact list and community clarinet choir list.
• Anyone needing repairs — the clarinet repair technician list.
• Teachers and youth leaders — the Youth Involvement Committee.
• Researchers and listeners — the historic recording project, program library and database, and the James Gillespie Library.

Membership and access

Membership is the site's central organizing idea: the navigation leads with "join ICA," and a Members section collects benefits such as the member profile, library and database access, NAXOS access, Forza excerpts access, and discounts on instrument insurance, liability insurance, RATstands, and Tomplay. The site also maintains a membership directory and a discussion forum for members.

The available site information does not state membership prices, payment methods, or whether any content is accessible without logging in, so check the membership page directly for current terms before assuming cost or access levels.

Practical next steps

• To understand the organization first, start with the Mission Statement and the "Who We Are" pages.
• To join, use the membership link in the main navigation and review the listed member benefits before deciding.
• To attend an event, check the member event calendar and the ClarinetFest®/LowFest pages for the edition nearest you.
• To use the resources, browse the committee hubs and the repair technician and clarinet choir lists — these are the most immediately useful directories for players.
• To publish or advertise, see the Clarinet Journal advertising page and the ClarinetFest® sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities.

Joining the International Clarinet Association (ICA) gives clarinetists and enthusiasts access to a published set of member benefits: the James Gillespie Library, the ICA Resource Library, The Clarinet Journal and The Clarinet [Online], member-only discounts (instrument insurance, liability insurance, RATstands, Tomplay), NAXOS and Forza Excerpts access, and community tools including the Membership Directory and ICA Discussion Forum. These are the benefits the ICA lists for members; exact terms, eligibility, and any access steps are set by the ICA and should be confirmed on clarinet.org before you join.

Publications: The Clarinet Journal and The Clarinet [Online]

The ICA publishes The Clarinet Journal and an online companion, The Clarinet [Online]. Both appear in the site's Publications section, and the journal has its own advertising information for those interested in reaching the clarinet community. For members, these publications are the main way the association shares articles, interviews, and organizational news.

Member Libraries and Archives

The member area lists several research and reference resources:

• ICA James Gillespie Library — a member library resource listed under the member profile area.
• ICA Resource Library — a general resource collection for members.
• ClarinetFest® Program Library and Database — archived festival programs.
• ICA Historic Recording Project — a project preserving historic clarinet recordings.

These are useful if you want reference material, historical recordings, or past festival programs rather than general news.

Member-Only Access: NAXOS and Forza Excerpts

Two access benefits stand out for players and students:

• ICA Member NAXOS Access — streaming access to the Naxos catalog for members.
• ICA Member Forza Excerpts Access — orchestral excerpt resources for members.

Both are listed as member access items, which means they are tied to membership status rather than being open to the public.

Discounts on Instruments, Insurance, and Tools

The member discounts page lists:

If you already pay for instrument insurance or use Tomplay, these discounts may offset part of a membership cost. The site does not publish discount rates or prices, so compare the actual quotes you receive against the membership fee.

Community: Directory, Forum, and Events

Membership connects you to other clarinetists through:

• Membership Directory — find other ICA members.
• ICA Discussion Forum — a member discussion space.
• Member Event Calendar and Lunch and Learn Series — events listed for members.
• ClarinetFest® and LowFest — the association's festivals, with past and upcoming editions listed on the site (for example, ClarinetFest® 2027 in Salt Lake City and LowFest 2027 in Québec City).

The site also lists committees and resources open to the broader community, such as the Health and Wellness resources, Youth Involvement Committee materials, and the Community Clarinet Choir and Repair Technician lists.

How to Decide Whether to Join

Use these conditions to judge fit:

• Join if you want the member-only libraries, NAXOS and Forza access, the journal, and the directory/forum, and you value the insurance or Tomplay discounts.
• Check first if your main interest is a specific event or competition — competition and festival details are published separately, and some events have their own calls and deadlines.
• Confirm terms on the site — the ICA lists these as member benefits but does not publish prices, discount amounts, or full eligibility rules in the material reviewed here. Review the Membership section of clarinet.org for current terms before paying.

The International Clarinet Association (ICA) runs a year-round calendar built around two flagship in-person festivals — ClarinetFest® and LowFest (the Low Clarinet Festival) — plus virtual events, competitions, and workshops. Anyone can browse the event pages on clarinet.org; some participation routes (attending, exhibiting, sponsoring, proposing a performance) are open through published calls, while others are tied to ICA membership. The site does not publish ticket prices or state that events are free, so check each event page for registration details.

ClarinetFest®: The Flagship Festival

ClarinetFest® is the ICA's main international festival, and the site lists future editions years in advance:

Past editions are also documented, including ClarinetFest® 2023, 2024, and 2025, each with a digital program book. The 2023 festival additionally has a "Global Community Map." Program books are a practical way to see what a typical festival includes — concerts, competitions, exhibits, and presentations — before deciding to attend or apply.

Ways to Take Part in ClarinetFest®

• Attend — registration details live on each festival's page.
• Exhibit — the site has a dedicated "Exhibit at ClarinetFest® 2027" page for organizations and vendors.
• Sponsor — "ClarinetFest® 2027 Sponsorship Opportunities" outlines support levels for the Salt Lake City edition.
• Perform — ClarinetFest® 2028 in Monterrey has a published "Call for Headlining Artist Performance Proposals."
• Host a future festival — an "Apply to Host ClarinetFest® or LowFest" page explains the bidding route for institutions or organizations.

LowFest and the Low Clarinet Festival

LowFest is the ICA's festival devoted to low clarinets. Editions listed on the site include:

• LowFest 2027 – Québec City, Canada, with a separate "Call for Proposals" page.
• Low Clarinet Festival 2025, with its own program book.
• Low Clarinet Festival 2023, also with a program book.

The pattern is consistent: each festival gets a page with practical details plus a program book after the event. If you play contrabass or bass clarinet, or program low-clarinet repertoire, the call-for-proposals pages are the entry point for proposing content.

Virtual Events and Online Programming

The ICA also runs online programming that does not require travel:

• New Music Weekend — held in 2024 and 2025, focused on contemporary repertoire.
• Clareidoscope — held in 2025 and 2026.
• 2026 Clarinet Enthusiasts Virtual Workshop — aimed at enthusiasts rather than professionals.
• Lunch and Learn Series — listed under Events on the member side of the site.
• Virtual Conference Center — a hub for online sessions.

These are worth watching if you want ICA programming without committing to a festival trip, though access terms for each series are set on its own page.

Competitions and Related Programming

Festival activity overlaps with the ICA's competition calendar, which includes the Young Artist Competition, Junior Young Artist Competition, Orchestral Audition Competition, Composition Competition, and Research Competition. Winners are archived on the site. Competitions are a distinct track from festival attendance — entry requirements and deadlines are published per competition rather than on the festival pages.

How to Get Involved

1. Pick your route. Attending, exhibiting, sponsoring, proposing a performance, or bidding to host are separate processes with separate pages.
2. Check the relevant call. Proposals for LowFest 2027 (Québec City) and headlining performances for ClarinetFest® 2028 (Monterrey) are the currently posted opportunities.
3. Use past program books as a model. They show the format and scope reviewers expect.
4. Watch the Member Event Calendar for dates and the Lunch and Learn Series.
5. Contact the ICA through the site for questions not answered on an event page.

A common snag: people assume one form covers everything. In practice, exhibiting, sponsoring, and performing each have their own submission path, and host applications are a separate institutional process. Read the specific page before preparing materials.

Membership and Events

Some listings — the Member Event Calendar, Lunch and Learn Series, and member discount programs — sit in the members' area, which suggests membership plays a role in access to certain programming. The site does not publish membership pricing on these pages, so confirm current terms on the membership page before assuming what is included.