John Bruce Yeh

Life and career

Born in Washington DC, Yeh grew up in Los Angeles, California and began playing the clarinet at age 6. Both his parents were scientists but had trained as musicians in China, his mother as a pianist and his father as a singer. He initially studied as a pre-med student at UCLA but also played in local chamber music ensembles and youth symphonies. After two years at UCLA, he transferred to the Juilliard School in New York City. In 1977, Georg Solti hired him as a clarinetist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He started as solo bass clarinetist and two years later was appointed assistant principal and E-flat clarinetist.

While in New York Yeh became a founding member of the New York New Music Ensemble and retained an interest in contemporary music throughout his career. In 1979 he founded the chamber ensemble, Chicago Pro Musica and remains its director. The ensemble's first recording, Stravinsky's L'Histoire du soldat, won the 1985 Grammy Award for the Best New Classical Artist. He has also collaborated with composer and electronic musician Howard Sandroff, performing and recording Pierre Boulez's 1985 work for clarinet and electronics, Dialogue de l'ombre double.

Yeh is married to the clarinetist Teresa Reilly. The couple have three daughters. Yeh, Reilly, and their daughter Molly, a percussionist, perform together on the album Synergy released by Naxos Records in the Naxos Wind Band Classics series.

Recordings

Yeh's recordings include: