Charles Stier is hailed for his gorgeous tone, seamless lyricism, excellence and consummate artistry. He has dazzled audiences and critics alike with concerto, recital and chamber music performances in seventeen countries on three continents.

American venues included the Kennedy Center and Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Weill [Carnegie] Recital Hall and Alice Tully Hall, New York, NY; the Cleveland Museum of Art (OH) and the Frick Museum, Pittsburgh, PA.

International performances included Brazil, Curacao, Venezuela, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Russia and the Czech Republic.

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His guest performances with chamber music organizations included the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and String Quartets such as the Cleveland, Shanghai,
St. Petersburg, Helios, Leontovitch, Franciscan, St. Lawrence and Sibelius Academy.

As a summer artist, he appeared at the Newport Music Festival (RI), the Chautauqua Institution (NY), Music Mountain (CT), Piccolo Spoleto (SC), Helsinki and Korsholm (Finland), among others.

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His recordings, The Art of the Romantic Clarinet, Cameos, One and The Clarinet in the Age of Enlightenment have received outstanding critical acclaim and are regularly broadcast throughout the world. Future releases include Peace On Earth, K439b, The American Myth and Lush Life.

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His book titles are On Performance, Clarinet Reeds and What Happens After Graduation? Dr. Stier has authored numerous articles for such periodicals. Click here for books.

Born in 1956 in Charleston, SC, Stier studied with the late Dr. Gordon C. Bobbett, Dr. Randall Thompson (B.A., College of Charleston, 1977), Dr. Norman M. Heim (M.M., 1979 and D.M.A., 1982, University of Maryland), the late Hans Moennig (Philadelphia, PA), the late Alan Balter (Baltimore, MD), the late Dr. Robert Marcellus (Evanston, IL; formerly Principal Clarinet, The Cleveland Orchestra) and George Pieterson (retired Solo Clarinet, Royal Concertgebouworkest, Amsterdam, Holland).

Since 1987, Stier has performed exclusively on Wurlitzer Reform-Boehm clarinets. In 1996 he was named North American Artist Representative for Wurlitzer Clarinets.

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In 1998 Stier withdrew from teaching and performing on the clarinet. This was in response to the current dominant focus of American academic institutions, talent agents and major concert promoters on show business rather than artistry. The shift from the recognition and reward of qualitative excellence and artistic presentation of serious music to the valuation of quantitatively accessible entertainment has marginalized his public efforts.

Stier continues his work as an artist, composer and performance consultant. His original major musical works include Piano Quintet in B minor, Op.1, Seven Songs of Emily Dickinson for Soprano and Piano, Op.2 and The Robert Frost Songs for Voice and Piano, Op.3.