The San Francisco-based Sqwonk bass clarinet duo is a dynamic and adventurous ensemble that “pushes the envelope of what bass clarinet music can be” (Clarinet Magazine). Sqwonk is devoted to exploring the full expressive range of the bass clarinet, from deep resonances to raucous wails. While grounded in the classical tradition, Sqwonk’s music draws on a wide range of influences, from klezmer to heavy metal to blues to minimalism to free improvisation, creating a repertoire that is strikingly contemporary, yet broadly accessible to a wide audience.

Sqwonk has been hailed for its “extraordinary…deftness and dynamic range,”  (San Diego News) and its “perfect production of complicated interwoven lines, acrobatic leaps, and sensitive lyricism in difficult registers” (Clarinet Magazine).  Sqwonk’s playing has been described as “…technically strong and very tight” (New Music Box) and “literally danceable” (Lucid Culture). Sqwonk has created an entirely new repertoire of bass clarinet duos from scratch, and has released two CDs featuring newly commissioned works by some of America’s most exciting up-and-coming composers. 

Sqwonk has given performances throughout the San Francisco Bay Area at a wide range of venues and events, ranging from CalPerformances at Zellerbach Hall, to the Switchboard Music Festival, to Café du Nord.  Sqwonk has also performed around the country at venues such as The Stone in New York, Sushi’s Outsound Series in San Diego, the Bang on a Can Summer Institute in North Adams, MA, and the 2010 ClarinetFest in Austin, TX. 

Also passionate about education and outreach, Sqwonk has led numerous workshops and master-classes at schools, conservatories, and universities around the country. Sqwonk has received grants from the Northern California Composers Commissioning Program, the American Composers’ Forum’s Subito program, the San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.