Clarinetist Peter Schmidl has Died, Aged 84

Schmidl was a retired member of the Vienna Philharmonic and Vienna State Opera Orchestra

Born in 1941 in the Czech Republic, Peter Schmidl studied at the Vienna Musikhochschule with Rudolf Jettel.

He joined the Vienna State Opera Orchestra in 1965, and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in 1968, where he was later appointed principal clarinetist. 

As a soloist, he appeared with MDR Orchestra, Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra, and the New Philharmonia in Tokyo, under the direction of conductors including Leonard Bernstein, André Previn, Karl Böhm, James Levine, Ricardo Muti, Seiji Ozawa, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and Christoph Eschenbach.

From 1967, he served as a professor at the Vienna Music University and gave masterclasses across Europe and Japan.

Among his noted recordings include Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto with Bernstein, Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for wind instruments with Karl Böhm, and chamber music by Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Weber, Schoenberg, Danzi, Ibert, and Hindemith. 

”With deep sorrow, we mourn the passing of our esteemed colleague and dear friend, Peter Schmidl, who left us unexpectedly on February 1, 2025,” said first violinist Daniel Froschauer. “A brilliant musician, dedicated educator, and cherished member of our orchestra for decades, his artistry and passion shaped Vienna’s musical life and resonated far beyond. We are grateful for the unforgettable moments we shared with him on and off stage.”

Our condolences to Mr. Schmidl’s family, friends, and colleagues.