London Bach Clarinet Ensemble

The LBCE was formed in 2005 out of our enthusiasm to perform imaginative, innovative music that greatly appealed to us despite the fact that it was not originally composed for clarinet ensemble. Our intention is not to be provocative, but to explore and expand the possibilities of the current clarinet repertoire, adding to its exotic, highly energetic sound quality in an intriguing way. Inspired by the great musical heritage of J.S. Bach, clarinettist Dmitry Rasul-Kareyev was fired with the desire to use his instrument to pay homage to Bach out of his love for the composer and the conviction that Bach would certainly have composed for the clarinet if the instrument had been better known during his lifetime. This is what spurred Dmitry into seeking out colleagues who shared his ideas. The Ensemble is equally enthusiastic about performing contemporary music and actively encourages composers to write for the clarinet. Since every performance is an experiment to some extent, it generates great excitement for performers and audience alike as they open up and explore the sound world of clarinet ensemble. "We like to experiment," says Dmitry, "This is our musical credo. Our ideas are always as fresh for us as they are for the audience. We are not afraid to be misunderstood but what we would really hate would be to leave the audience indifferent."