Jeff Anderle, a pioneering figure in the clarinet world known for his innovative and diverse performances, ensembles, and commissions, will join the Arizona State University (ASU) School of Music, Dance and Theatre as an assistant professor of clarinet in August.
Anderle is an accomplished artist-teacher, performer, commissioner, and advocate for new music.
“We are thrilled that Jeff Anderle will join the ASU music faculty,” said Heather Landes, director of the School of Music, Dance and Theatre. “Jeff brings a breadth of knowledge of clarinet and bass clarinet performance practice, commissioning new work, chamber music performance, technology, and career preparation to our program that both complements and enhances our offerings in the woodwind area.”
An Henri Selmer Paris Performing Artist, Anderle has been familiar with the ASU clarinet program since his early days as a student.
“The ASU clarinet program has been a huge force in the clarinet world for decades, and alumni are doing amazing things around the country,” Anderle said. “I have had the opportunity to collaborate with students and faculty at conferences and as a visiting artist. The talent, creativity, and kindness of everyone here are something very unique and special.”
Anderle’s diverse career includes playing in ensembles like the San Francisco Symphony and a bass clarinet heavy metal band. He has recorded nearly 20 albums, commissioned or premiered over 200 concertos and new chamber works, and created both ensembles and a music festival.
As a teacher, Anderle likes to understand how things work and believes that one of the best ways to understand something is to explain it to someone else. He also values curiosity as a crucial trait for both teachers and students.
His interests as a performer push the boundaries of classical music, aiming to expand what is possible on the clarinet and to invite new listeners to classical music. This often involves exploring new sounds and techniques on his instrument and creating bridges between classical and popular music.
“I am dedicated to both performing masterworks at the highest level and discovering new repertoire,” Anderle said. “I believe in the power of classical music as an emotional vehicle for audiences of all types.”
He is a member of the bass clarinet duo Sqwonk, which blends classical, folk, and popular music into its distinct style; Splinter Reeds, a reed quintet dedicated to new, innovative music; and the virtuosic heavy metal bass clarinet quartet Edmund Welles.
Anderle also plays with the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players and serves as principal bass clarinet of the Monterey Symphony. He performs regularly with the San Francisco Symphony and Magik*Magik Orchestra, as well as with chamber music ensembles such as the Telegraph Quartet, Friction Quartet, and Left Coast Chamber Ensemble.
As a soloist, Anderle has performed concertos with the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, One Found Sound, La Jolla Symphony, Minnesota Philharmonic, and the wind octet Nomad Session. He has been featured nationally at concert series and festivals including the Kronos Festival, Bang on a Can Marathon, Omaha Under the Radar, and the Festival of New American Music, along with numerous national and international appearances at ClarinetFest, the annual conference of the International Clarinet Association.
An advocate for contemporary music, he was a founding co-director of the Switchboard Music Festival, a presenting organization that featured hundreds of innovative musicians through its annual marathon and concert series during its 10-year history.
His recent project on TikTok involves posting his bass clarinet experiments, ultra-low PVC bass clarinets, and extreme covers of pop and video game music.
“I plan to bring the breadth of my experience as an educator and performer to ASU and contribute to the innovative work already happening here,” Anderle said. “I am interested in helping students avoid some of the problems and challenges I have faced so they can approach their playing with efficiency and ease. But most importantly, I am passionate about helping students find a career path that matches both their interests and their aptitudes, and exploring the wide range of possibilities available to music graduates.”
