Alexander Glücksmann & Laura Dabels
Alexander Glücksmann began playing the clarinet at the age of nine.
While studying with Prof. Diethelm Kühn at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music in Berlin, he participated in numerous chamber music and master classes (with Karl Leister, among others). He gained his first orchestral experience with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra under the direction of Daniel Barenboim, among others.
After completing his studies, Alexander Glücksmann received a scholarship from the Berlin Philharmonic’s “Herbert von Karajan Orchestra Academy.
In 2003, he became principal clarinetist with the Berlin Symphony Orchestra. Since then, Alexander has regularly worked as a guest principal clarinetist with various German orchestras, including the Komische Oper Berlin, the Staatsoper unter den Linden, the Konzerthaus Orchestra Berlin, the Semperoper Dresden, the Kammerakademie Potsdam, the Brandenburg Symphony Orchestra, and the Staatstheater Braunschweig.
His greatest passion, however, remains chamber music, a field to which he has dedicated himself since his student days. He has performed repeatedly with members of the Berlin Philharmonic at the Opera Barga chamber music festival in Italy and has been invited to appear at numerous renowned chamber music festivals.
Laura Dabels began playing the piano at the age of 4 and later studied at the Rostock University of Music and Drama before completing her studies with Prof. Konstatin Scherbakov at the University of the Arts in Zurich.
During this time, she won the “Münchner Klavierpodium der Jugend” and 1st prize at the international piano competition “Piano Talents” in Milano.
In addition, Laura is also active as a chamber musician in various ensembles and has won prizes at the Kiwanis Club Zurich competition and the Orpheus Swiss Chamber Music Competition. In 2017, she and her trio was invited to perform at various Swiss festivals and was a finalist in the “Prix Credit Suisse Jeunes Solistes”.
Nov. 10, 2026 - 7:30pm
(doors open 6:45pm)
Alexander Glücksmann
(clarinet)
& Laura Dabels (piano)
program:
Robert Schumann: Fantasiestücke op.73
In these three miniatures, Robert Schumann unfolds an entire world of Romantic moods, ranging from dreamy poetry to spirited vitality. Conceived as “delicate, fragrant flowers” that were not meant to make “a triumphal procession through the salon” but rather to “refresh the soul in an intimate circle,” the Fantasiestücke became a model for generations of Romantic clarinet music.
Johannes Brahms: Two Ballades from Op. 10 (piano solo)
The Ballades, Op. 10, rank among Brahms’s most remarkable early piano works. Inspired by a Scottish folk ballad, the First Ballade unfolds as a dramatic narrative filled with dark colours and powerful contrasts.
The Second Ballade provides a gentler counterpart, distinguished by its warm, song-like character. Together, these works already reveal the depth and expressive power that would make Brahms one of the leading composers of the Romantic era.
Carl Reinecke: Introduction and Allegro appassionato
A rarely performed gem of the clarinet repertoire, combining Romantic expressiveness, elegant charm and a brilliant, exhilarating conclusion.
Reinecke regarded himself as a true heir to Schumann’s musical tradition and was occasionally described as the “German Saint-Saëns” for the melodic refinement and harmonic elegance of his music.
Francis Poulenc: Sonata for clarinet and piano
Poulenc composed this sonata in 1962, shortly before his death, and did not live to witness its premiere at Carnegie Hall in 1963 by Benny Goodman and Leonard Bernstein.
Few works blend Romantic lyricism, modernity and the French musical tradition so effortlessly—by turns reflective and playful, always marked by Poulenc’s unmistakable charm.
Joseph Horovitz: Sonatina for clarinet and piano
Joseph Horovitz wrote his Sonatina in 1981 for the renowned clarinettist Gervase de Peyer. The work combines memorable melodies, rhythmic wit and subtle humour with classical clarity of form. Jazz-inspired touches, lyrical episodes and virtuosic passages come together in music full of charm, lightness and unmistakable British elegance.