Sidney Forrest

In a career spanning more than seven decades, until 2013, Sidney Forrest was one of the nation's most recognized clarinet virtuosos.  Born in 1918, Sidney Forrest was awarded a scholarship at a young age from the New York Philharmonic to study with its renowned solo clarinetist, Simeon Bellison. He subsequently studied with Bellison at the Juilliard School, and also attended the University of Miami and Columbia University. In addition to Bellison, he studied with Alexander Williams, principal clarinet of the NBC Symphony under Toscanini. Mr. Forrest began his performing career as clarinet soloist with the prestigious United States Marine Band through the entirety of World War II. Immediately afterwards, he became principal clarinetist of the National Symphony Orchestra and established an enviable career as an acclaimed clarinet soloist and chamber artist. Among his numerous recordings, his landmark renditions of Berg's Four Pieces, Weber's Gran Duo Concertante, Hindemith's Sonata and Mozart's Quintet in A major (with the Galimir String Quartet) are still highly prized. As a highly respected teacher, Sidney Forrest was most notably professor of clarinet at Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University from 1946 to 1985. And for 45 summers (1959-2004) he was on the summer faculty of the Interlochen Center for the Arts. He also taught for 50 years at the Catholic University of America, and served on the faculty of American University. Mr. Forrest was also a respected clinician/adjudicator, judging and presenting master classes throughout this country and in Canada. He published numerous arrangements of music for the clarinet, and regularly contributed of articles for various woodwind journals. He was actively teaching until his death just before his 95th birthday.