Jun Watabe

clarinet & saxophone




"...the exquisite lyricism" 

— Denver Post


A refined musician, Jun Watabe has appeared as featured soloist in many national and international scenes to rave reviews. He travels across the country for concerts and lectures at conferences and universities. Watabe also lives an unusual career of single reed doubling with two completely different instruments-the clarinet and the saxophone. The diverse natures of the two instruments serve to enhance his artistry and refine his musical common sense, and at the same time make his musical interpretations and performances unique.

In 2012, Watabe toured with the Arctic Chamber Orchestra, performing Ibert's Concertino da Camera and Glazunov's Saxophone Concerto in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Nome. Watabe has also appeared as featured soloist with the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra and the Littleton Symphony Orchestra. As an orchestral player, Watabe has played with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra numerous times. Watabe has recorded with the Tokyo-Bach-Band and Collegio Saxophone Quartet. He has premiered new commissions at the 13th World Saxophone Congress in Minneapolis, as well as the 2004 Thailand International Saxophone Conference in Bangkok. Watabe also commissioned Emerson Eads to write a composition that would require him to play both the clarinet and saxophone; Triple Concerto for Two was premiered at the North American Saxophone Alliance 2012 Biennial Conference in Tempe, Arizona.

Watabe received a doctorate in both clarinet and saxophone from the University of Northern Colorado with honors. During his graduate study at UNC, he won all the solo and concerto competitions. Watabe was the recipient of the Saxophone Fellowship at the Aspen Music Festival for three consecutive summers.

Dr. Watabe has taught at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and currently is the clarinet and saxophone faculty member at Colorado Mesa University and the principal clarinetist for the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra.


















Jun Watabe at YouTube.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/1junwatabe

















Sat 9.10.2016

Silverton, Colorado
Silverton Fall Color Chamber Music Festival
Jun Watabe, clarinet
Katherine Shields, viola
Andy O'Brien, piano
Silverton Fall Color Chamber Music Festival

Sun 9.11.2016

CMU Carolyn Love Recital Hall
Seventh Roadrunner Ensemble
Jun Watabe, clarinet
Katherine Shields, viola
Andy O'Brien, piano

Mon&Tue 9.19&20.2016

7:30 p.m. - Avalon Theatre, Grand Junction
Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra
"Yang Plays Liszt"

Fri 9.23.2016

7:30 p.m. - CMU Carolyn Love Recital Hall
CMU Faculty Gala Concert
ticket information
stream this concert live

Thr-Sat 10.27-29.2016

College Music Society, 2016 National Conference
Santa Fe, New Mexico

Wed 12.14.2016

12:00 p.m. - First United Methodist Church, Grand Junction
A Little Noon Music Concert Series
Jun Watabe, basset clarinet & saxophone
Schubert: Arpeggione Sonata

Fri&Sat 1.21&22.2017

7:30 p.m. - Avalon Theatre, Grand Junction
Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra
Jun Watabe, basset clarinet
"WATABE Plays Mozart"
ticket information will be available later

Fri 3.10.2017

7:30 p.m. - CMU Carolyn Love Recital Hall
Mesa Winds Recital
Jane Kuenzel, flute
Bill Aikens, oboe
Jun Watabe, clarinet
Susan Hess, bassoon
Eileen Mah, horn
ticket information

Sat 4.15.2017

7:30 p.m. - CMU Carolyn Love Recital Hall
CMU Guest Artist Series
Bil Jackson, clarinet
Arthur Houle, piano
Jun Watabe, saxophone
ticket information

Tue. 4.19.2016

Grand Junction High School Auditorium
Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra
A GRAND FINALE

Sat. 3.26&27.2016

Unitarian Universalist Church - Grand Junction & Montrose Pavilion
Western Slope Concert Series: Music for Clarinet, Cello, and Piano
Jun Watabe, clarinet
Michael Samis, cello
Kathryn Mientka, piano

Sat. 3.10-3.13.2016

North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference
at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas

Sat. 3.04.2016

CMU Carolyn Love Recital Hall
Jun Watabe CMU Faculty Recital
Jun Watabe, clarinet & saxophone
Kristen Yun, cello
Arthur Houle, piano

Sat. 2.13&14.2016

Avalon Theatre
Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra
LATSHAW CONDUCTS TCHAIKOVSKY

Sun. 1.24.2016

Avalon Theatre
Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra
BROWN CONDUCTS SIBELIUS

Sat. 1.23.2016

Avalon Theatre
Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra
BROWN CONDUCTS SIBELIUS

Sat. 1.16.2016

CMU Robinson Theatre
Grand Junction Rockestra
Rock of Ages: Rock Music from Movies II

Sat. 1.09.2016

Avalon Theatre
Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra Pops Concert

Sun. 12.13.2015

Avalon Theatre
Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra

Sat. 12.12.2015

Avalon Theatre
Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra

Sun. 11.22.2015

Montrose Pavilion
Western Slope Concert Series: A Dramatic Evening of Large Ensemble Music:
Ingenuity, Complexity and Modernity

Sat. 11.21.2015

CMU Carolyn Love Recital Hall
Western Slope Concert Series: A Dramatic Evening of Large Ensemble Music:
Ingenuity, Complexity and Modernity

Wed. 10.7.2015

CMU Carolyn Love Recital Hall
CMU Piano Trio Recital

Sun.&Sat. 10.3&4.2015

Avalon Theatre
Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra

Fri. 9.25.2015

Monument Presbyterian Church
Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra: Chamber Music Series
Mozart Clarinet Quintet



CONTACT

music@junwatabe.com


Jun Watabe
Assistant Professor of Music, clarinet & saxophone
Woodwind Coordinator
Colorado Mesa University
(Dorctor of Arts, University of Northern Colorado)

Principal Clarinet
Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra

Jun Watabe is a Yamaha Performing Artist.

(970) 248-1124, office
jwatabe@coloradomesa.edu
Colorado Mesa University
Department of Music
1100 North Avenue
Grand Junction, CO 81501-3122


































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