Olivier Vivares - Clarinetist
“Olivier Vivares is an exceptional musician, with rare devotion to the beauty of sound and the power of expression. He fully immerses himself in the composers’ vision, always striving for technical perfection while staying true to the musical essence.”

“Olivier Vivares is an exceptional musician, with rare devotion to the beauty of sound and the power of expression. He fully immerses himself in the composers’ vision, always striving for technical perfection while staying true to the musical essence.”
Bas Wiegers, conductor
News

Olivier Vivares will join the Lucerne Festival Academy Guest Faculty in summer 2025
Every summer, Lucerne Festival invites leading performers of contemporary music to join its Academy as Guest Faculty, including members of Ensemble Intercontemporain, Ensemble Modern, Klangforum Wien, and Ensemble Musikfabrik.
These artists lead workshops for the Academy’s young musicians and actively support their artistic development.
The deadline for applications is 16 February 2025.
My engagement as Guest Faculty will take place from 1 to 3 September 2025.
Calendar
31. Jul 2022
19:30

Salzburger Festspiele
Mozarteum, Salzburg
Wolfgang Rihm • Cipher Cycle
Klangforum Wien
Sylvain Cambreling, conductor
11. Aug 2022
21:00

RuhrTriennale
Jahrhunderthalle, Bochum
Gérard Grisey • 4 chants pour franchir le seuil
Klangforum Wien
Sophia Burgos • Kerstin Avemo, sopranos
Kristina Stanek • Caroline Melzer, sopranos
Peter Rundel, conductor
12. Aug 2022
21:00

RuhrTriennale
Jahrhunderthalle, Bochum
Gérard Grisey • 4 chants pour franchir le seuil
Klangforum Wien
Sophia Burgos • Kerstin Avemo, sopranos
Kristina Stanek • Caroline Melzer, sopranos
Peter Rundel, conductor
13. Aug 2022
21:00

RuhrTriennale
Jahrhunderthalle, Bochum
Gérard Grisey • 4 chants pour franchir le seuil
Klangforum Wien
Sophia Burgos • Kerstin Avemo, sopranos
Kristina Stanek • Caroline Melzer, sopranos
Peter Rundel, conductor
14. Aug 2022
18:00

RuhrTriennale • Organicum
Salzlager, Essen
Márton Illés • Forajzok
Sarah Nemtsov • Moos
Michael Pelzel • Pavlopetri
Klangforum Wien
Patrick Hahn, conductor
15. Aug 2022
21:00

RuhrTriennale
Jahrhunderthalle, Bochum
Gérard Grisey • 4 chants pour franchir le seuil
Klangforum Wien
Sophia Burgos • Kerstin Avemo, sopranos
Kristina Stanek • Caroline Melzer, sopranos
Peter Rundel, conductor
18. Aug 2022
21:00

RuhrTriennale
Jahrhunderthalle, Bochum
Gérard Grisey • 4 chants pour franchir le seuil
Klangforum Wien
Sophia Burgos • Kerstin Avemo, sopranos
Kristina Stanek • Caroline Melzer, sopranos
Peter Rundel, conductor
21. Aug 2022
21:00

RuhrTriennale
Jahrhunderthalle, Bochum
Gérard Grisey • 4 chants pour franchir le seuil
Klangforum Wien
Sophia Burgos • Kerstin Avemo, sopranos
Kristina Stanek • Caroline Melzer, sopranos
Peter Rundel, conductor
24. Mar 2023
19:30

Trio Catch
Reformierte Kirche, Stäfa
Robert Schumann • Fantasiestücke, Op. 73
Michael Pelzel • Underground Vibrations
Johannes Brahms • Trio in A minor, Op. 114
Wolfgang Rihm • Kleiner Walzer
Olivier Vivares, clarinet
Eva Boesch, violoncello
Sun-Young Nam, piano
05. Aug 2023
19:30

Darmstadt Summer Course
Lichtenbergschule
Georges Aperghis • Situations
Klangforum Wien
Emilio Pomarico, conductor
01. Nov 2023
19:30

Wien Modern
Konzerthaus, Vienna
Georg Friedrich Haas • 11.000 Saiten
Klangforum Wien
50 Pianists, MDW Vienna
Tim Anderson, musical direction
15. Nov 2023
19:30

Wien Modern
Musikverein, Vienna
Rebecca Saunders • Wound
ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna
Klangforum Wien
Bas Wiegers, conductor
19. Oct 2024
20:00

Heinz Holliger • 85
Alte Oper, Frankfurt
Stefan Wirth • Mnemosyne
Ensemble Modern
Christina Daletska, mezzosopran
Heinz Holliger, conductor
25. Oct 2024
19:00

Strange Bird
Konzerthaus, Vienna
Clara Iannotta • Vacant lot (Strange Bird)
Shiqi Geng • Ma nostalgie […] du temps perdu
Brendan Champeaux • Ask
Klangforum Wien
Vimbayi Kaziboni, conductor
30. Oct 2024
19:00

Carl Orff und die Moderne
Orff Center, Munich
Birke Jasmin Bertelsmeier • Verwachsen
Peter Tilling • Fragment — Mirroring
Peter Tilling • Ein Schatten, schwebend
Hans Jürgen von der Wense • Musik
Ensemble Risonanze Erranti
Peter Tilling, conductor
08. Dec 2024
12:30

E∀ir
Holy Ghost Church, Bern
Claude Debussy • Petite pièce
Gabriel Pierné • Canzonetta, Op. 19
Philippe Gaubert • Fantaisie
Germaine Tailleferre • Arabesque
Eugène Bozza • Aria
Ernest Chausson • Andante et Allegro
Olivier Vivares, clarinet
Eva-Maria Neidhart, piano
28. Jan 2025
20:00

Origin of the Birds
Schwere Reiter, Munich
Peter Tilling • Fragment — Mirroring
Ensemble Risonanze Erranti
Peter Tilling, conductor
10. Mar 2025
22:00

Nachtklang • Night Flowers
Musikverein, Vienna
Kaija Saariaho • Duft
Luigi Nono • Omaggio a György Kurtág
Olivier Vivares, clarinet
Marino Formenti, conductor
10. Apr 2025
19:30

Spotlight on Beat Furrer
Yehudi Menuhin Forum Bern
Beat Furrer • Klarinettenkonzert
HKB Ensemble Vertigo
Olivier Vivares, clarinet
Beat Furrer, conductor
10. May 2025
20:30

Stabat Mater
St. Peter Cathedral, Geneva
Giacinto Scelsi • Quattro pezzi su una nota sola
Ensemble Contrechamps
Barbara Hannigan, conductor
12. May 2025
20:30

Stabat Mater
St. Peter Cathedral, Geneva
Giacinto Scelsi • Quattro pezzi su una nota sola
Ensemble Contrechamps
Barbara Hannigan, conductor
13. May 2025
20:30

Stabat Mater
St. Peter Cathedral, Geneva
Giacinto Scelsi • Quattro pezzi su una nota sola
Ensemble Contrechamps
Barbara Hannigan, conductor
14. May 2025
20:30

Stabat Mater
St. Peter Cathedral, Geneva
Giacinto Scelsi • Quattro pezzi su una nota sola
Ensemble Contrechamps
Barbara Hannigan, conductor
15. May 2025
20:30

Stabat Mater
St. Peter Cathedral, Geneva
Giacinto Scelsi • Quattro pezzi su una nota sola
Ensemble Contrechamps
Barbara Hannigan, conductor
16. May 2025
20:30

Stabat Mater
St. Peter Cathedral, Geneva
Giacinto Scelsi • Quattro pezzi su una nota sola
Ensemble Contrechamps
Barbara Hannigan, conductor
18. May 2025
20:30

Stabat Mater
St. Peter Cathedral, Geneva
Giacinto Scelsi • Quattro pezzi su una nota sola
Ensemble Contrechamps
Barbara Hannigan, conductor
31. May 2025
20:00

Prague Offspring Festival
DOX+, Prague
George Benjamin • Into the Little Hill
Ensemble Modern
Jennifer France, soprano
Helena Rasker, mezzo-soprano
Franck Ollu, conductor
25. Jul 2025
20:30

Salzburger Festspiele
Kollegienkirche, Salzburg
Salvatore Sciarrino • Macbeth
Klangforum Wien
Vimbayi Kaziboni, conductor
25. Jan 2026
19:30

Mizmorim Festival
Basel
World premiere of a new ensemble work by Mauricio Silva Orendain, winner of the 4th Mizmorim Festival Composition Competition.
“Olivier Vivares combines astounding technical virtuosity with a sound of rare beauty. It was a real privilege to have had the opportunity to work with him for so many years with Klangforum Wien. In particular, being able to record my concerto for clarinet and orchestra with him remains one of the highlights of this long and fruitful collaboration.”
Beat Furrer, composer & conductor

About
The French clarinettist Olivier Vivares performs a wide range of styles in his musical work. His busy concert schedule as a soloist and chamber musician takes him to the world's most famous concert halls and the most renowned international festivals.
During his long career as a member of Klangforum Wien, he has been intensively involved with extended playing techniques. In addition to exploring new worlds of sound, he has dedicated himself to the many expressive possibilities of his instrument. He is equally familiar with the classical clarinet repertoire, contemporary music and improvisation.
He has been teaching his own clarinet class at Bern University of the Arts since 2022.
Der französische Klarinettist Olivier Vivares bespielt in seinem musikalischen Schaffen eine grosse stilistische Bandbreite. Seine rege Konzerttätigkeit als Solist und Kammermusiker führt ihn in die berühmtesten Konzertsäle der Welt und an die renommiertesten internationalen Festivals.
Während seiner langjährigen Karriere als Mitglied des Klangforum Wien beschäftigte er sich intensiv mit erweiterten Spieltechniken. Neben der Erforschung neuer Klangwelten widmete er sich den vielfältigen Ausdrucksmöglichkeiten seines Instruments. So ist er mit dem klassischen Klarinettenrepertoire, mit Zeitgenössischer Musik und mit Improvisation gleichermassen vertraut.
Seit 2022 führt er als Professor eine eigene Klarinettenklasse an der Hochschule der Künste Bern.
Le clarinettiste français Olivier Vivares aborde un large éventail de styles dans son œuvre musicale. Son intense activité de concertiste en tant que soliste et musicien de chambre le conduit dans les salles de concert les plus célèbres du monde et dans les festivals internationaux les plus renommés.
Au cours de sa longue carrière en tant que membre du Klangforum Wien, il s'est intéressé de près aux techniques de jeu élargies. Outre l'exploration de nouveaux univers sonores, il s'est consacré aux multiples possibilités d'expression de son instrument. Il est ainsi aussi à l'aise avec le répertoire classique de la clarinette qu'avec la musique contemporaine et l'improvisation.
Depuis 2022, il dirige en tant que professeur sa propre classe de clarinette à la Haute école des arts de Berne.
Discography



