(Photo courtesy of HDCM)

If you’ve seen LaLa Land, War Horse, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, or Star Wars: The Force Awakens, there is a good chance you have been swept away in a film moment under Donald Foster’s musical influence. Since Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), he has been composer John Williams’ go-to clarinetist. Appearing in the scores of over 450 films and numerous television soundtracks, Foster is principal clarinetist for John Williams, Randy Newman, Michael Giacchino, Blake Neely and others.

In addition to studio work, Foster is one of Southern California’s most active musicians, serving as the Principal Clarinetist of both the Pasadena and Santa Barbara Symphonies, and also holds a position in the LA Opera Orchestra. He performs frequently with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the San Diego Symphony, and can be heard often as part of the Jacaranda Chamber Music Series in Santa Monica.

Other prior engagements include serving as Principal Clarinet with the Philharmonie der Nationen in Hamburg, Germany, with whom he performed in over 250 concerts in virtually every major city in Europe, and he also served as Principal Clarinet of the Colorado Music Festival in Boulder, Colorado. His reed trio, Trianche, was a featured ensemble for the Costa Rica Music Festival, and he can be heard on the critically acclaimed recording of Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire with the Inauthentica Ensemble and soprano Jennifer Goltz.

Foster graduated from the University of Southern California, receiving his Master of Music degree after studying with Yehuda Gilad and Michele Zukovsky. He has received Fellowships from both the Tanglewood Music Festival and the Aspen Music Festival.

Donald Foster joins the Crown City String Quartet in concert at COCC’s Wille Hall when High Desert Chamber Music’s 11th season continues on Saturday, December 1, at 7:30pm. Tickets are available through High Desert Chamber Music by phone or online. Come hear the music!