Valdemar Rodriguez, Clarinet
Venezuelan musician, Valdemar Rodriguez began his clarinet studies with his father at the age of four. He received the title of Clarinet Performer at the Simón Bolívar Superior Conservatory of Music, the Bachelor's Degree in Instrumental Execution at the University Institute of Musical Studies in Caracas and the Master in Music at the Simon Bolivar University of Venezuela. He perfected his studies with the eminent professor Luís Rossi and with professors Gervase de Peyer, Walter Boeykens, Guy Deplus and Kalman Berkès. He was Professor of Clarinet at the Simón Bolívar Conservatory and Clarinet Soloist at the Orchestra Simón Bolívar Symphony for 35 years.
Rodriguez performed the Latin American premiere of the original version of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto in A Major KW 622, with the Clarinet di bassetto, at the Teatro Colón from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
He has performed as a soloist under the baton of important conductors such as Jose Antonio Abreu, Gustavo Dudamel, Eduardo Mata, Mario Benzecry, Alfredo Rugeles, Rodolfo Saglimbeni, Giancarlo Guerrero, Patricio Aizaga, Cesar Ivan Lara, Fabio Mechetti, Edmond Colomer and Dietrich Paredes, among others. He has collaborated with renowned Venezuelan and international musicians, interpreting the major works of the chamber music repertoire written for clarinet. He has been an active member of various chamber ensembles such as the “Eduardo Mata Chamber Ensemble”, the “Chalumeau Clarinet Quartet” and the “Quintet of Latin American Winds" with which he played at the " Weill Recital Hall" of Carnegie Hall in New York.
Rodriguez has participated in concert tours throughout Latin America, the United States, Africa, Asia and Europe performing in festivals, recitals, masterclasses and with string quartets. symphony orchestras, symphonic bands and big band jazz.
Professor Rodriguez has been invited to give master classes in conservatories and universities in countries such as Russia, China, United States of America, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Denmark, France, Nicaragua, Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Argentina, Brazil, Jamaica, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, South Africa, Switzerland, Trinidad and Uruguay.
He has been invited to be a member of the jury of important international clarinet competitions, including the Carl Nielsen International Clarinet Competition, 2009 in Denmark, the competition "Jacques Lancelot International Clarinet Competition & quot; 2010 in Ruen, France, “Clarinet Competition in Kortrijk ”, 2010 in“ International Clarinet Competition in Ghent, 2012, 2013, 2015, UNISA Clarinet Competition 2014 in Johannesburg, South Africa, First International Clarinet Competition of the Ibero-American Clarinet Academy 2018, Portugal.
For 20 years he was Deputy Executive Director of the “Simón Bolívar Foundation of“ El Sistema ”and of the Simón Bolívar Music Conservatory of Venezuela.
At present he is the President of the Foundation “Movimiento Musical Notes en Red”, Director of the Latin American Academy of Clarinet "Luis Rossi", Professor of Clarinet at the University of the Arts and Professor of Clarinet in the Master of Music at the Simón Bolívar University of Venezuela.