Julia Drukh
Julia Drukh is widely regarded as one of the most distinguished clarinetists of her generation. Trained in both Russia and Germany, she has built an outstanding international career as a soloist, chamber musician, educator, and orchestral performer. A recipient of numerous awards and a guest at some of Europe’s leading festivals, she also actively contributes to the expansion of the clarinet repertoire while collaborating with renowned musical institutions and leading instrument makers.
The German-Russian clarinetist Julia Drukh originally hails from St. Petersburg, Russia. She began her clarinet studies there at the Rostropovich Music School, subsequently studying at the Mussorgsky College of Music and the Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory. She continued her education in Germany, initially studying under Prof. Wolfgang Meyer at the University of Music Karlsruhe; she then pursued postgraduate studies under Prof. Norbert Kaiser at the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart graduating with honors in 2020.
She has been active as an orchestral musician since 2015: She completed an internship with the SWR Symphony Orchestra and held temporary contracts with the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra, the Osnabrück Symphony Orchestra, the Dortmund Philharmonic, and the Neue Philharmonie Westfalen. Among others, Julia Drukh has participated in various projects with the ensemble Klangforum Wien as well as the NDR, WDR, and SWR radio orchestras. Since October 2024, she has been employed as Principal Clarinetist at the Theater Plauen-Zwickau and holds a teaching position at the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart.
Julia Drukh is a prize-winner of numerous international competitions and boasts an impressive list of accolades. Among others, she is a finalist and scholarship recipient of the prestigious German Music Competition (with Trio Y, 2021) and was awarded the DAAD Prize in 2020.
Furthermore, she has performed as a chamber musician at international festivals such as the festival for contemporary music St. Petersburg Musical Spring (Russia/2016), the Grötzinger Musiktage (Germany/2019), the Höri-Musiktage (Germany/2023), the Chamber Music Festival in Plovdiv (Bulgaria/2017), the festival for contemporary music Impuls in Graz (Austria/2023) and the Festival d´Automne in Paris (France/2023). As an orchestral musician, she has participated, for example, in the Easter Festival in Bayreuth (Germany/2015), the Donaueschinger Musiktage (Germany/2019), and the Salzburger Festspielen (Austria/2021).
In addition, she was actively involved in founding and organizing the festival Zeitlose Musik in Karlsruhe (2015–2020) and released her debut solo album „Poesie der Luft“ with the GENUIN record label (2023), which was awarded the Grand Prix for Best CD Performer at the Music & Stars Awards '24 in 2024.
Through her collaboration with the CEFES C.F. Schmidt music publishing house, Julia Drukh actively contributes to expanding the clarinet repertoire. Furthermore, she stands out for her high-level mastery of both the German and French clarinet systems. Her outstanding skill is also recognized by her status as an official Wurlitzer and Selmer Artist.
