Pavel Vinnitsky has earned international acclaim for his extensive solo, chamber and orchestral performances around the world. He was recently appointed as bass clarinet and clarinet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by Zell Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä. Having won the final audition in December 2025, Vinnitsky officially joins the Orchestra on September 14, 2026. He previously served as an acting member of the New York Philharmonic’s clarinet section and associate clarinetist with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.
An avid chamber musician, Vinnitsky appeared with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, NY Philharmonic Chamber Music Series, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Met Chamber Players at Carnegie Hall, Wind Soloists of New York and is a co-founder of the Conservatory Series at the University of Cincinnati.
Beyond the classical stage, Vinnitsky has recorded for major motion picture soundtracks produced by Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Disney and 20th Century Fox, and has contributed to TV productions for Netflix and Amazon.
His artistic versatility extends beyond the traditional repertoire through new music commissions and explorations of fusion projects of contemporary and Eastern European folk music, as well as collaborations with pop and rock artists including Sting, Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett, Paul McCartney and Peter Gabriel.
Pavel Vinnitsky regularly presents masterclasses at premier music institutions, including the Curtis Institute of Music, Juilliard School, Yale School of Music, Indiana University, Northwestern University and Manhattan School of Music. He currently serves as associate professor of clarinet and chair of the Winds, Brass, and Percussion Department at University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
Pavel Vinnitsky
