Joaquín performs on Show 435.

Joaquín Chávez (clarinet), 18, originally from Callao, Peru, began playing the clarinet when he was 11 years old. He studied the clarinet with Luis Vargas at Peru’s National Conservatory of Music before moving to the USA, where he studied at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, under the tutelage of Bryan Conger. Joaquín is now attending College Conservatory of Music (CCM) under the tutelage of Pavel Vinnitsky.

Joaquín has been the recipient of several awards and many wonderful opportunities over the past few years. In 2018, at the age of 13, he won the first National Competition for Young Clarinetists in Peru, organized by Clariperu. In December of that same year, he won a concerto competition, giving him the opportunity to perform as soloist with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Trujillo in Peru. In July of 2019, Joaquín travelled to the United States with his clarinet trio to perform at ClarinetFest in Tennessee. The trio then travelled that same year to perform at Paraguay’s 5th International Clarinet Festival. Also in 2019, Joaquín competed in a second international competition, where he won first place, and was awarded with a professional clarinet as well as a scholarship to study at the École Normale de Musique de Paris with Ronald Van Spaendonck. Most recently, Joaquín participated virtually in the 2020 International Clarinet Competition “Saverio Mercadante”, in which he received an honorable mention.

During the summer of 2021, Joaquín had the opportunity to travel to Michigan to attend the Interlochen Arts Camp where he performed as a member of the World Youth Symphony Orchestra and recorded for Interlochen Public Radio. During that summer, Joaquín was named a recipient of the Maddy Summer Artist Award and is now studying full-time at Interlochen Arts Academy.

Receiving the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award will allow Joaquín to purchase a new instrument as well as support him in covering college audition costs and consultation lessons with prospective teachers.