Introducing the Soldiers of Soldier's Tale: Christine Hoerning, Clarinet

Christine Hoerning is a Montreal-based clarinetist. She completed Bachelors degrees in Music Education and Performance at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam and a Masters degree in orchestral performance at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University. 

In 2010, Christine won a position with the United States Navy Band. In New York, Christine worked extensively in pit orchestras for musicals such as Fiddler on the Roof, Kiss Me Kate, Into the Woods, and Seussical among others. She was the winner of the 2012 Long Island Chamber Music Festival Concerto Competition.

She currently holds a position as principal clarinetist with l'Orchestre Philharmonique des Musiciens de Montreal and 2nd clarinet with l'orchestre symphonique de musiciens du monde.  She has filled auxiliary clarinet positions with the Orchestra of Northern New York. Her orchestral credits also include substituting with the Northshore Symphony Orchestra and the McGill Symphony. Christine was an assistant/clarinet coach for the Long Island Youth Orchestra. 

In conjunction with Opera Immediat she has performed in the orchestras of the popular operas De Fledermaus, The Elixir of Love, Aida and Carmen. Christine joined the opera orchestra at LyricArezzo  in Italy in 2014 for their “in concert” performance of Puccini’s La Boheme under the baton of Maestro Stefano Pagliano. 

Christine appeared as a guest artist at the annual Clarinet Summit at the Crane School of Music in 2011.  In 2013 she was a featured alumnae in a S.U.N.Y Potsdam publication which was also featured by McGill University. She was invited as a presenter at the Crane School of Music discussing orchestral performance, practice and organization as a young aspiring professional. 

In collaboration with the Montreal Symphony and des Quartier des Spectacles she performed as a soloist for the promotion of the Montreal Symphony’s Viree Classique summer concert series. An avid performer of contemporary music, Christine was featured in an experimental theatre piece with Musical Theatre Montreal in their production of The Birthday Party  and in the performance of Les Papes Hurlant with Montreal Nouvelle Musique at the 2015 Nuit Blanche Festival working with contemporary composer Rachel Burman She has made numerous appearances with Ensemble Mruta Mertsi. 

Christine is the founder and artistic director of the chamber music collective Verisimo. 

Are you originally from Montreal?

No, I am originally from Long Island, New York. I moved to Montreal in 2012 to do my Masters at McGill University and I fell in love with the city and decided to stay!

Who is your favorite composer and why?

I'm not sure, it changes. But my top two would have to be Stravinsky and Shostakovich. The music is smart, witty and moving. And the technical prowess of Stravinsky and his use of rhythm and meter... its genius. 

Do you have a funny or strange performance story? 

Many, the most terrifying one was when I was getting ready for another concert with Verisimo. My standlight didn't turn on so I reached under the hood of the lamp to make sure the bulb was screwed in. I wasn't thinking and didn't consider the fact that the lamp was plugged in. The glass around the bulb was missing so I grabbed the wires of the bulb and wound up electrocuting myself in front of the audience right before we started playing. It took me a couple of minutes to get my heart rate to settle back down. It was exciting to say the least.

How did you wind up playing your chosen instrument?

Honestly, I wanted to play the trombone. When I was 8 we started band in elementary school, my mom said I couldn't play the trombone and told me to pick the flute. On my instrument rental form for school she wrote flute, but when I got to the music teachers room I crossed it out and wrote clarinet. If I had to play a girly instrument it wasn't going to be the flute. 21 years later I can only assume I made the right choice, although I still wish I played the trombone sometimes, but I hang out with a lot of them, so I guess that will have to do. 

Come see Verisimo's production of L'Histoire du Soldat at La Sala Rossa on August 29th at 8pm! Tickets are available at the door BUT if you click the link below you can get your tickets online, in advance, and at a 10% discount!  Click Here for Tickets

Stay tuned for more behind the scenes sneak peeks!