Alec Manasse

United States

selected candidate

2026 CHENGDU INTERNATIONAL CLARINET COMPETITION

school affiliation

The Juilliard School/Lincoln Center

Alec Manasse is a talented clarinetist who received his musical education at The Juilliard School. He earned his Bachelor of Music (BM) in 2020 under the instruction of Alan Kay, after studying there from 2016 to 2020. He further pursued his Master of Music (MM) at the same school from 2020 to 2022, studying with Anthony McGill. Prior to that, he attended the pre-college division of The Juilliard School from 2010 to 2016, where he was a student of Laura Flax.

Alec Manasse has extensive orchestral experience spanning over a decade. Since 2025, he has served as Substitute Principal Clarinet with The Knights, and since 2024, he has been Substitute 2nd Clarinet with The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. He has also held positions such as Guest Principal with the American Symphony Orchestra, Principal Clarinet with The Symphony of Westchester, and Substitute 2nd Clarinet with the Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center and The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Additionally, he has collaborated with the Juilliard Orchestra and Royal Academy Philharmonic as Principal Clarinet in a BBC Proms Concert.

In addition to his orchestral engagements, Alec Manasse has also achieved remarkable success in solo and chamber music, and has been honored with numerous awards. He has collaborated with various orchestras to perform solo pieces and concertos by renowned composers such as Mozart, Copland, and Krommer. He claimed a Bronze Medal at the 2018 Fischoff International Chamber Music Competition, a Gold Medal at the 2016 M Prize International Arts Competition, and another Gold Medal at the 2014 International Clarinet Association High School Competition.