Chaz Sonoda

A Southern California native, Chaz Sonoda began his clarinet studies at the age of 9. He currently serves as a clarinetist with the United States Army Band and has previously performed with the National Repertory Orchestra, Quartz Mountain Music Festival Orchestra, Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, and IN Series Opera Company. In 2022, Chaz was a prizewinner in both the American Virtuoso International Music Competition and the Philharmonic Society of Arlington’s Young Artist Competition (MA).

From 2012 to 2016, Chaz spent a combined total of nearly one year in China studying with clarinetists He Yi of China Conservatory and Rende Zheng of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra (retired), while simultaneously studying Chinese language and 2literature at Fudan University and the Beijing Language and Culture University. Additionally, he toured China as co-principal clarinetist of Northwestern University's Symphony Orchestra in 2018.

Since 2018, Chaz has been a member of the clarinet section at the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” in Washington D.C., and in 2021, he joined the faculty of American University as professor of clarinet. Chaz earned his Bachelor of Music at DePaul University and Master of Music at Northwestern University and is a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy. His primary teachers include Emil Khudyev, Steve Cohen, Stephen Williamson, and Julie DeRoche.

As a teacher, Chaz has been invited to present masterclasses and workshops at a number of schools around the country, including University of Colorado Boulder, California State Universities Long Beach and Northridge, Northeastern Illinois University, University of North Carolina Greensboro, and Northwestern University. Chaz has been teaching privately since 2016. In recent years, his students have earned spots in various honor bands and youth orchestras in the Northern Virginia area. Additionally, a small number have gone on to study music seriously in undergraduate and graduate programs.

Instrument

Clarinet

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Institution

American University

Washington, D. C.