Julian Milkis – clarinet

Julian Milkis is an outstanding clarinetist and the only student and protégé of jazz legend Benny Goodman. He has gained international recognition for his unique sound, virtuosic technique, and musical imagination across both classical and jazz genres.

As a soloist, he has performed with leading orchestras, including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, CBC Vancouver Orchestra, Orchestre National de Lyon, Orchestre Colonne, Orchestre Symphonique Français, and the KBS Symphony Orchestra. He has appeared at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York, Salle Pleyel and Salle Gaveau in Paris, the Odesa Philharmonic Hall, as well as Roy Thomson Hall and Weston Recital Hall in Toronto.

In jazz, he has collaborated with pianist and composer Dick Hyman, a former member of Benny Goodman’s band. Together, they created transcriptions of several of Goodman’s works. Dick Hyman also composed the Ragtime Concerto for him, dedicating the piece to the artist. This music captures the spirit of the golden age of jazz.

Several composers have written music especially for him, including Giya Kancheli, Dick Hyman, and Oskar Morawetz. Julian Milkis’s recordings have been released on labels such as Warner Classics (Lontano series) and Suoni e Colori (France). He has also been awarded the title of Knight of Honour of the Order of Malta and the Grand Priory of St. John.

In 2026, he will present a series of concerts dedicated to this music, marking the 90th anniversary of composer Giya Kancheli. One of these concerts will take place in collaboration with the INSO-Lviv Orchestra.