John Diodati

Clarinet

John Diodati has served as Principal Clarinet of the Opera Philadelphia Orchestra since the spring of 2021. His performances with the company have drawn critical acclaim, including praise from Alex Ross of The New Yorker, who credited “mellifluous” playing during a recent production of Otello by Gioachino Rossini.

An accomplished orchestral musician, John has appeared as a guest performer with many of the nation’s leading ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, and The Florida Orchestra. He is also an active chamber musician and has performed alongside members of the Boston, Chicago, Houston, and San Francisco symphonies, as well as with faculty from institutions including Mercer University, New England Conservatory, Rice University, University of Iowa, and University of Notre Dame. His chamber music and recital performances have taken him throughout the United States and internationally, including engagements in Taiwan.

John’s artistic development has been shaped by participation in several prestigious training programs. He was a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center in 2012 and 2013 and has also attended the Aspen Music Festival and the Music Academy of the West. He earned both his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the New England Conservatory, where he studied with Thomas Martin, and subsequently pursued further studies at Rice University under Richie Hawley.

While at NEC, John was a frequent performer with the NEC Contemporary Ensemble under the direction of John Heiss. In this capacity, he collaborated closely with composers Gunther Schuller and John Harbison in preparation for performances of their works. More recent projects include collaborations with Chen Yi and Zhou Long on a forthcoming recording of their chamber music.