Why I Chose Backun
"I play Backun because it is an extension of my voice and my way of being."
About
"…The concert was a virtuosic display on the E-flat Clarinet..."
- The Clarinet
Javier Llopis is an internationally renowned clarinetist, specializing in the E-flat Clarinet (Requinto) and recognized as a virtuoso of the instrument. He is a clarinet professor at the Professional Conservatory of Music in Tenerife and serves as the assistant piccolo clarinetist in the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra. As the artistic director of the Tenerife Clarinet Fest and the founder of the Piccolo Clarinet International Academy. Llopis has captivated international audiences as a soloist in Spain, the United States, Poland, Italy, France, Brazil, Belgium, Argentina, Austria, Germany, Uruguay, Portugal, Estonia, and Mexico. He has contributed significantly to the development of the E-flat clarinet, collaborating in the design of D’Addario Reserve reeds and developing several mouthpieces for commercial brands. Most recently, he launched his own signature mouthpiece, the Llopis Signature Eb Mouthpiece, produced by Backun and Richard Hawkins.
In addition to his performance career, Llopis has played a pivotal role in expanding the limited repertoire for the E-flat clarinet, working with composers such as Martínez Gallego, Simon Milton, Laura Vega, Saul Gómez, Nino Díaz, Jose Manuel Encinoso, and Amanda Harberg, among others. He has premiered several important works globally, enriching the repertoire for this specialized instrument. Llopis's teaching career has led to numerous award-winning students in prestigious national and international competitions, including the Tenerife Clarinet Fest, Gran Canaria International Competition, Villa de Agaete International Competition, Ciudade de Ourense, Orihuela International Competition, Italian Clarinet Academy, the Grand Prize “Thomas Kuti,” Rising Stars Grand Prix in Berlin, Salzburg Grand Prize Virtuoso, Golden Classical Music Awards in the United States, and the Swiss International Music Competition.
He is regularly invited to give masterclasses in Europe and Latin America, including at the University of Joao Pessoa, the Metropolitan Academy of Lisbon, the Karol Szymanowski Academy in Katowice, the Italian Clarinet Academy, the Katarina Gurska School in Madrid, the Alcochete Festival in Lisbon, the Koszecin Festival in Poland, the Xacobeo Festival, the Gran Canaria International Festival, and the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico. He is also frequently invited to serve as a jury member at international clarinet competitions, such as the "Saverio Mercadante" International Clarinet Competition in Italy, the I.CA High School Clarinet Competition in Los Angeles and Madrid, the Gran Canaria International Competition, the Silverstein Global Clarinet Competition, and the National Clarinet Competition in Mexico.
He has composed several works for E-flat clarinet, including Gloom and Variations on Cançons de Mare, which are published by Eufonia Edizioni. Llopis has held prominent positions as Principal Clarinet of the Santa Cecilia Symphony Orchestra of Cullera, the Isla de La Palma Symphony Orchestra, and the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, as well as Principal Clarinet of the Gran Canaria Municipal Symphonic Band and Solo E-flat Clarinet of the Tenerife Symphonic Band. He is the founder of the Unión y Amistad Band of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and has been a professor at the Superior Conservatory of Music of Tenerife and the Katarina Gurska in Madrid. His commitment to artistic excellence and innovation continues to inspire musicians and audiences worldwide.
Javier is an artist for Backun, Legère Reeds, ED Ligatures, and Anaga Classics.
More information at: www.javierllopis.com
Performs On
Llopis Signature Eb Mouthpiece
