Jorge Montilla

Jorge Montilla holds a Bachelor degree in Clarinet Performance from the Instituto Universitario de Estudios Musicales (IUDEM) in Caracas, Venezuela and a Master Degree from Indiana University, USA. He is the Assistant Principal clarinetist (in ausentis) with the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra and the Artistic Director of the Caracas Clarinet Quartet. He is considered one of the best clarinetists in his country, attested by the outstanding music career developed during the past years. He has an extensive repertoire including the major works for the clarinet of all times and he has been appointed to premiere solo works by Venezuelan composers such as Diana Arismendi, Roberto Cedeño Laya, Fidel Rodriguez and Victor Varela.

Mr. Montilla’s clarinet teachers have included Filippo Rutigliano, Mark Friedman, Valdemar Rodriguez and Luis Rossi in his native Venezuela, as well as foreign study with Michel Lethiec, Kalman Berkes, Harmen de Boer, Antony Pay, Eddy Vanoosthuyse, Robert Spring and Howard Klug. He has appeared as soloist with the Los Teques Symphony Orchestra, “Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho” Symphony Orchestra, Falcon Symphony Orchestra, Tachira Symphony Orchestra, Mérida Symphony Orchestra, Simón Bolivar Symphony Orchestra and Indiana University Chamber Orchestra. He has given solo and chamber music recitals in important halls of the country as well as in Martinique, France and the USA. In 1995, Mr. Montilla recorded the solo clarinet work "Tres Noches sin Luna" by composer Diana Arismendi.

For several years he was chairman of the Clarinet Department at the Simon Bolivar Conservatory of music in Caracas. Outside his country he has taught master-classes in the Javerian University (Colombia), Modern School (Chile), Bridgetown Music School (Barbados), Castries Music School (Sta. Lucia), Indiana University (USA) and Music Conservatory (Puerto Rico).
As a member of the Caracas Clarinet Quartet, Mr. Montilla has concertized extensively throughout the world (South America, Europe, Asia and the USA), he has recorded two CDs (the second with Paquito D’Rivera) and his many arrangers for the CCQ have made him one of the pre-eminent arrangers for clarinet ensemble today.

He has been awarded with the following prizes: Winner of the Indiana University Woodwind Competition, 2000, winner of the Travel Grant Competition, winner of the Performer Certificate and semifinalist in the Concert Artist Guild Competition.At the present, he is an Assistant Instructor of Clarinet atIndianaUniversity, where he is pursuing a Doctoral degree and an Artist Diploma in Clarinet Performance