André Moisan

Celebrated for his mastery of the entire clarinet family, his refined musicality, and the remarkable clarity of his playing, André Moisan has enjoyed a multifaceted career since 1977 as a soloist, chamber musician, educator, and orchestral performer. His frequent appearances in concert, on radio, and on television, along with international performances at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw, and Radio Berlin, have established him as one of the leading clarinetists of his generation.

He has had the privilege of working with many distinguished conductors, most notably with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (OSM). Moisan first performed with the OSM in 1977 under Andrew Davis, later appearing regularly as a guest soloist under Charles Dutoit, and subsequently under Kent Nagano. Since May 1999, he has served as the orchestra’s principal saxophonist and bass clarinetist.

Born into a musical family, he began his studies with his father Gilles Moisan, who was a member of the OSM for nearly fifty years. He later continued his training with Bob Crowley (Montréal), Larry Combs (Chicago), and Karl Leister, former principal clarinetist of the Berlin Philharmonic.

A dedicated educator, Moisan is Associate Professor at the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Music, where he has taught since 1989. A sought-after presenter and engaging communicator, he led the OSM’s Youth Concert Series for ten years and contributed to several editions of the Family Concert Series.

He has taken part in more than 50 recordings, including eight solo albums for ATMA Classique, all of which have been praised internationally. His artistic curiosity also leads him to explore jazz, klezmer, and world music, notably in his albums Impressions and Klezmer Dreams, the latter recorded with the Molinari Quartet.

An artist of remarkable versatility, André Moisan continues an active career combining performances, recordings, conducting, teaching, and guest lectures across Canada and abroad.