The Los Angeles Clarinet Choir: Clarinet Fiesta!

The Los Angeles Clarinet Choir returns to HMC with a sizzling program of original works and arrangements from Latin America for clarinet ensemble, including favorites by Zequinha de Abreu, Lorenzo Barcelata, Astor Piazzolla, Álvaro Carrillo, and more.

Sunday, October 26, 7 p.m.
Drinkward Recital Hall

Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025-26, the Los Angeles Clarinet Choir is internationally known as one of the finest clarinet ensembles in North America. In 2025, Victoria Ramos Dresel became the group's Principal Conductor, after serving for 15 years as Principal Clarinet and Associate Director. The LACC has a history of commissioning and premiering new original works and arrangements for this unique instrumentation, and in 2025 continues with this mission in a new program of popular and concert music by Mexican and Latin American composers. This past June, the group performed at the International Clarinet Association ClarinetFest©2025 in Dallas-Fort Worth. Founded in in 2005 by Dr. Margaret Thornhill, the 13-member ensemble has an extensive performance history, including featured appearances at five International ClarinetFests© in Vancouver, Los Angeles, Austin, Orlando, and Knoxville, and concerts throughout Southern California in partnership with other nonprofit organizations including colleges, school districts, museums, libraries, churches, arts organizations, and retirement communities. LACC's list of composer collaborations includes Edward Cansino, Matti Kovler, Erol Gurol, David Avshalomov, Barry Brisk, Mike Curtis, Christin Hablewitz, and James McMillen, as well as many talented arrangers, represented on this program by Christin Hablewitz, Mike Johnston, and Carlos Herrera.

Founder

A clarinet recitalist and chamber musician active in the US and Europe, Margaret Thornhill is also one of LA's most sought-after private clarinet teachers. She is a former faculty member of the University of California Santa Cruz, Stanford University, Occidental College, Concordia University Irvine, and Claremont Graduate University. Thornhill is in demand as a masterclass leader, writes articles for international clarinet journals, and is a wind chamber music coach for the Humboldt Chamber Music Worskhop at Cal Poly Humboldt and at Hidden Valley Music in Carmel Valley. She holds the DMA from Stanford University.

Conductor

Victoria Ramos Dresel became the Principal Conductor after serving for 15 years as Principal Clarinet and Associate Director. She is the Director of Bands at Carmenita Middle School in Cerritos, and previously held the same position at Artesia High School in Lakewood. She holds the MM degree in Music Education from the University of Southern California where she also pursued doctoral work and taught music education courses in the Flora L. Thornton School of Music. Ramos Dresel studied clarinet with Yehuda Gilad and David Howard at USC and also with Dr. David Ross as an undergraduate at The University of Texas at El Paso. 




HMC is deeply grateful for the generous support that created The Ken Stevens ’61 Founding Class Concert Series.