John Kruse

John Kruse began his studies at the Carl Nielsen Academy of Music in 1980 under solo clarinettist Jens Schou, and continued in 1984 at the Conservatoire National Supérieure de Musique à Paris under Professor Guy Deplus.

John has continually sought further inspiration from international figures such as Prof. Michel Arrignon in Paris and Hans Deinzer, former professor in Hanover.

Teaching

John has been employed as a part-time teacher at RDAM since 2008, and took up the position of Associate Professor in April 2021.

He has given masterclasses at academies of music in Brussels, Paris, Boston, Salerno, etc.

Artistic practice

In 1987 John joined the Royal Danish Orchestra, where he remained until 1989, when he was appointed principal clarinettist of the Odense Symphony Orchestra. From the summer of 2005 he returned to the Royal Danish Orchestra as principal clarinettist.

Alongside his orchestral career, John has been an active chamber musician in Den Fynske Blæserkvintet, Trio Chalumeau, Stadler Kvintet, Trio Westwood, Nordisk Kammermusikfestival and Equinox Festival.

John has been a soloist with the Royal Danish Orchestra, the Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra, the Odense Symphony Orchestra, the Danish National Symphony Orchestra and the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. 

New music and collaboration with the composers is very important to him, and he has given premiere performances of works by Ole Schmidt, Jesper Koch, Anders Koppel, Niels Viggo Bentzon and Bo Holten.

John has recorded several CDs both as a chamber musician and soloist, including new Danish music for clarinet, Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time”, all of Mozart’s music for basset horn, and most recently Mozart’s and Nielsen’s concertos for clarinet and orchestra.

Awards and scholarships

John Kruse has been awarded the Jacob Gade Scholarship and the Holger Bruusgaard Scholarship.