Having attended the second Low Clarinet Festival in Arizona this January, where she brought Dutch composers to the table, Amsterdam musician, curator, and artistic director Fie Schouten shares with us about her life, career and her experiences in the United States.

Born in Amsterdam, and still living there, Fie Schouten performs in various formations at many different venues and festivals. Having performed all over the world and played all the clarinets, her warm preference remains for the low ones – the bass clarinet being her main instrument now.

A passion ignited at 15

Fie’s journey with the bass clarinet began when she was just 15 years old. She heard a fellow student at her music school play the instrument, and it was love at first listen. ‘I was immediately captivated by that sound,’ she recalls. ‘Now, I am 52 and I have spent many hours with my clarinets. This one enchanting moment back then, was the beginning of a journey I could not have grasped at the time. Following my passion for the bass clarinet has taken me many places. This is truly a gift of being a musician. It may not be the easiest road, because you have the be the one actively carving your own path and cultivating your talent – no one is going to do that for you! But it is a very special and rewarding road. If asked, I would do it all over again.’

‘It’s a very special and rewarding road. If asked, I would do it all over again.’

Fie’s connection to the bass clarinet has led her through a career of playing in classical orchestras, teaching positions and an unwavering focus on contemporary music. Her formative years were shaped by the mentorship of Harry Sparnaay, bass clarinetist and advocate for contemporary composed music. ‘From the beginning of my studies, new music was my focus,’ she explains. ‘I knew this was my path – studying things I didn’t yet know, sharing something unexpected with my audience.’

Interpretation and Improvisation

For the last 12 years, Fie has taught at the Prince Claus Conservatoire in Groningen, The Netherlands. While she no longer regularly performs traditional classical repertoire in concert, she remains involved, practicing it for her own enjoyment. Her heart lies, however, in contemporary music and the development of the bass clarinet as an instrument of endless innovation.

‘Interpretation and improvisation really nurture each other.’

‘I am one of the very few in the Netherlands who plays solo bass clarinet repertoire as well as in chamber music settings at a high level, committed to contemporary repertoire and the development of the instrument,’ Fie says. ‘This motivates me greatly. During the pandemic, in addition to performing music written by others, I decided to give improvisation an equal place in my practice. Interpretation and improvisation really nurture each other. Feeling at home in both genres takes a lot of study time and it involves moving in both scenes, but I love it. Of course, there were people before me who did that, but not that many. I do emphasize: I do not play jazz. Because being able to play over a chord progression and master those standards is something entirely different.’

The Power of Community

Although in general Fie is somewhat hesitant about the role of social media, she applauds the growing community of bass clarinet players form all around the world that find each other there. This is also the reason she got wind of the wild idea of her younger colleague Stefanie Gardner, to host a big festival and conference – now referred to as the Low Clarinet Festival – in Glendale, Arizona. Fie was immediately on board. ‘I had been co-leading the Basklarinet Festijn, a big festival in The Netherlands with Tobias Klein since 2014. And feel a growing desire to contribute to events that put the bass clarinet in the spotlight. So I did not have to think twice!’

‘It’s great to be part of a collaborative international community.’

The first festival in 2023 was a big success, with 350 bass clarinetists from around the globe coming together. This January Fie was invited as part of the artistic leadership team, where she helped shape the festival’s program and judge various competitions. Teaming up with a group of thirteen colleagues they made sure the coherence of the international community was reflected in the organization too. ‘Together we are stronger and it is more fun!’ Fie says. ‘Events like the Low Clarinet Festival allow us to exchange knowledge, hear new music, and get to know new colleagues. It’s great to be part of a collaborative international community.’ The Low Clarinet Festival welcomes all low clarinet lovers who want to spend time and exchange with likeminded enthusiasts from around the world.

Growing together

At the festival Fie showcased her expertise in contemporary Dutch music, presenting Tobias Klein’s solo piece Ludensic (2024). ‘At a conference like this there are many different personal and cultural influences coming together. That’s what makes it even more inspiring. In the competition for enthusiasts over 18, one of the compulsory works was Calling, written by Calliope Tsoupaki in 2012. It was so great to hear this piece performed by six different bass clarinetists.’

Besides that, Fie worked with festival participants on the bass clarinet quartet Lather, Rinse, Repeat, a work composed by Vanessa Lann (2018), which is now published by a small American publisher focused solely on bass clarinet repertoire.

‘It is enriching to meet colleagues and to learn from each other’s practices,’ she says. ‘It allows you to look at your own situation with fresh eyes and perhaps do things differently.’ For Fie, these experiences are essential for both her musical development and her personal growth. ‘I feel it’s a necessity to keep developing, as a musician and as a human being.’

More on Fie Schouten

About 100 compositions were written for Fie Schouten and her ensembles, and she performed them all.

From 2008 to 2018 Fie Schouten played many works by Karlheinz Stockhausen internationally, as a soloist with ensembles like a.o. MusikFabrik, Asko|Schönberg and Le Balcon. Furthermore, Schouten has shared the stage with Orkest de Volharding, Ensemble Mulitfoon, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Ensemble Modern, Klangforum Wien, Insomnio Ensemble, Het Balletorkest, Noord-Nederlands Orkest, and many more.

Fie Schouten initiated and leads together with Tobias Klein the Basklarinet Festijn, with four editions: 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020-2022. A fifth is scheduled for autumn 2025.

For a full biography and extensive background information on all of Fie Schouten projects, collaborations and recordings, go to her website: fieschouten.nl.

Text by Mark van Schaick
Photos by Fie Schouten