About Me

I’m Marcus Eley, a classical clarinetist committed to promoting African American composers whose works are often overlooked in classical music. I’ve performed at Carnegie Recital Hall and with orchestras like the Indianapolis and Louisville symphonies, using my platform to raise awareness of diverse voices in the clarinet repertoire. Through my performances and recordings, I aim to preserve and share these important musical contributions.

Marcus Eley is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Music in clarinet and studied at the Hochschule fuer Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna, Austria.  

Eley has performed as a soloist with the Berlin Symphony Orchestra (Germany), the Louisville Orchestra, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Edmonton (Canada) Wind Sinfonia and the National Army Military Band of the People’s Republic of China (Beijing).  He has also given numerous recitals in major cities of the United States.  On his New York debut recital in Weill Recital Hall, The New York Times cited his performance as “. . . expert, songful, and straightforward.”  As a special honor, Eley was chosen to perform on the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series in Chicago and Los Angeles.

Eley has traveled to China for the United States Information Agency to present lectures and performances on African American contributions to American music. He had the pleasure of performing on the first recital series of the “Foundation for American Musicians in Europe”, a joint project of the British-American Arts Associations and the United States Embassy in London. He has participated as guest artist at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, South Africa, MusicFest Canada, Gateways Music Festival, the International Clarinet Association conferences, the Clarinet and Saxophone conference in Brisbane, Australia, the Beijing (China) International Clarinet Festival and performed on radio broadcasts for KUSC (Los Angeles), WFMT (Chicago), and Minnesota Public Radio.  In addition to the aforementioned activities, Eley has given masterclasses and been a clinician at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, California Music Educators Association, Florida Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Ontario Music Educators Association (Canada) and New York State Music Educators.  Of his performance at South Africa’s premier National Arts Festival in 2009, Jeff Brukman of Cue Magazine said, “… consummate artistry.  The festival is indeed fortunate to host such a master of the clarinet.”

In 2012, record company Sono Luminus released Mr. Eley’s Compact Disc, titled “But Not Forgotten: Music by African American Composers for Clarinet and Piano.”  Lawrence Vittes, CD reviewer for Gramophone magazine said, “(Eley) applies his pure, limpid tone eloquently in music of a varied range of styles.”  Steve Arloff, MusicWeb International cites, “… a disc of pure unalloyed joy.” The Listener (Germany), Rainer Aschemeier exclaims, “Wow!’ What a beautiful, varied CD! This CD has succeeded in its well-chosen repertoire, as well as interpretation and sound.”  “Marcus Eley knows when and how to make the clarinet charm, dance, sing and cry. – Jean Yves Dupperon, Classical Music Sentinel.

In 2015, Eley was a guest performer at the Beethovenfest Bonn.  Claudia Wallendorf, music critic of the Bonn General Anzeiger said, “(Eley’s) colorful and nuanced clarinet playing . . . was very pleasantly displayed”.

Eley has served as Dean of Students at the New England Conservatory, Assistant (Adjunct) Professor of Music (Clarinet) at California State University Los Angeles and Marketing Projects Specialist/Artist Relations for Rico International.