New York Philharmonic Principal Clarinet Stanley Drucker, who will retire from the Orchestra at the end of the 2008-09 season concluding a 60-year tenure, has set a new Guinness World Record for the "Longest Career as a Clarinetist." The record text reads: "The longest career as a clarinetist was achieved by Stanley Drucker (USA, b. 4 February 1929) who performed professionally for 62 years, 7 months, 1 day as of June 4, 2009."
The record was announced following Mr. Drucker's performance last night of
Aaron Copland's Clarinet Concerto - a work he has now performed with the Philharmonic 60 times. Danny Girton Jr., Adjudications Executive - Guinness World Records, noted that "
Stanley Drucker's historic accomplishment is without question truly world-class."
Mr. Drucker also received a proclamation from The New York City Council, presented to him by District 6 Council Member Gale A. Brewer, for his "excellence and musical artistry, as well as for freshness and joy in performance, throughout an unprecedented 60-year tenure as a member of the
New York Philharmonic."
In addition, Mr. Drucker was named an Honorary Member of the Philharmonic- Symphony Society of New York by Philharmonic Chairman Paul B. Guenther and Director Emeritus Stephen Stamas, "in grateful remembrance of his unstinting dedication and his performing with the greatest musicianship in more than 10,200 Philharmonic concerts around the world, bringing his own unique style to every performance, and making the clarinet concertos of
Aaron Copland and
John Corigliano his signature
works." The honor, created in 1843, has been given to eminent composers, such as Felix Mendelssohn and
Igor Stravinsky; past music directors, including Theodore Thomas and
Leonard Bernstein; and even U.S. Presidents, including
Harry Truman. Mr. Drucker is the first Philharmonic musician in modern history to be so honored.
"We are thrilled that
Stanley Drucker has been honored by the Guinness World Records and by the City of New York, and we are proud to bestow upon him the title of Honorary Member of the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York," said Mr. Guenther. "His artistry and consummate professionalism and his importance to the legacy of the
New York Philharmonic cannot be underestimated. Not only is he is a true treasure, but he is also a really nice guy."
The Philharmonic also presented a video of messages from members of the Orchestra, Music Director
Lorin Maazel, Music Director Designate
Alan Gilbert, three former
New York Philharmonic Music Directors - Zubin Mehta,
Pierre Boulez, and
Kurt Masur - and Riccardo Muti. "It's unbelievable!" said Mr. Drucker in response to the accolades and honors. "I want to thank everyone in front of the stage, on the stage, and backstage for giving me these memories of an amazing time, something that will stay with me for my lifetime."
Stanley Drucker, who has achieved the longest tenure of any musician in the history of the
New York Philharmonic, has been heard by more than 40,802,500 people in the course of his 60-year tenure, having played in more than 10,200 concerts - 70 percent of all Philharmonic concerts since the Orchestra was founded in 1842.
Mr. Drucker is the subject of a current
New York Philharmonic Archives exhibition, 60 Years with the Philharmonic: Celebrating
Stanley Drucker, which displays photographs, programs, manuscript excerpts from
John Corigliano's Clarinet Concerto - written for and premiered by Mr. Drucker with the Philharmonic - and video excerpts of Mr. Drucker performing around the world. The exhibition is located on the east side of the Grand Promenade of Avery Fisher Hall and will be on view through August 25, 2009
Stanley Drucker will perform the Copland Clarinet Concerto again on Saturday, June 6, at 8:00 p.m. and Tuesday, July 9, at 7:30 p.m., at Avery Fisher Hall, led by Music Director
Lorin Maazel. Other performances will take place Friday, June 5, at 8:00 p.m., at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and Friday, June 19, at 8:00 p.m., at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in Brookville, New York.
On Tuesday, June 23, 2009, at 6:00 p.m., Mr. Drucker will talk with 96.3 FM WQXR's Jeff Spurgeon and give a brief in-store performance at the
New York Philharmonic Offstage at Barnes & Noble, 66th Street and Broadway.
Stanley Drucker (The Edna and W. Van Alan Clark Chair) joined the
New York Philharmonic at age 19 in 1948, was named Principal Clarinet in the 1960-61 season by
Leonard Bernstein, and made his solo debut with the Orchestra in 1961 in Debussy's Clarinet Rhapsody conducted by Bernstein. By the end of his tenure he will have performed as soloist with the Orchestra some 200 times (both at home and abroad), and will have played in more than 10,200 concerts with the
New York Philharmonic, including on major historic international tours, from the Orchestra's first visit to the U.S.S.R. in 1959 with
Leonard Bernstein to the recent visit to Pyongyang, Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Mr. Drucker's tenure with the
New York Philharmonic encompasses one-third of the history of the 167-year-old orchestra. He has served under nine
New York Philharmonic conductors, from Bruno Walter and
Leonard Bernstein to
Pierre Boulez, Zubin Mehta,
Kurt Masur, and, currently,
Lorin Maazel, and has performed under nearly 400 conductors in total. In 1998, on his 50th anniversary with the Orchestra, he was named Instrumentalist of the Year by Musical America.
Mr. Drucker has premiered two concertos - by
John Corigliano and
William Bolcom - that were commissioned for him by the Philharmonic. He earned two Grammy Awards in the category of Best Instrumental Soloist/Classical with Orchestra: in 1992 for his recording of Copland's Clarinet Concerto with the Philharmonic and Bernstein, and in 1982 for Mr. Corigliano's Clarinet Concerto with the Philharmonic and Zubin Mehta. He is featured on a number of other Philharmonic recordings: Debussy's Premiere Rapsodie with Bernstein; Nielsen's Clarinet Concerto; and in the world- premiere live performance (1977) of the Corigliano Clarinet Concerto, which is a part of
the Orchestra's CD box set, The Historic Broadcasts: 1923-1987. Mr. Drucker's other recordings include New York Legends: Recitals with Principals from the
New York Philharmonic; Schumann's Complete Works for Winds and Piano; the Mozart Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in A major, K.581; and a two-CD set of Brahms's two clarinet sonatas, Trio in A minor, and Quintet in B minor, entitled Drucker Plays Brahms. He is also heard on the world-premiere broadcast of
William Bolcom's Clarinet Concerto, part of the
New York Philharmonic Special Editions boxed set An American Celebration.
Stanley Drucker began clarinet studies at the age of 10 with Leon Russianoff, his principal teacher, and later attended the High School of Music and Art and The Curtis Institute of Music. He was appointed Principal Clarinet of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra at age 16, of the Adolf Busch Chamber Players at 17, and of the Buffalo Philharmonic at 18, prior to joining the
New York Philharmonic.
Those wishing to offer memories of, or felicitations to
Stanley Drucker should call 1-888-NYP-RADIO. These citations may be aired on the season's final radio broadcast of The
New York Philharmonic This Week during the week of June 22.
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