Le Dai

Dai Le began his musical journey in 1999, enrolling at the Central Conservatory of Music High School under the guidance of Professor Tao Chunxiao. In 2004, he joined the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music at the National University of Singapore with a full scholarship, studying under Ma Yue, principal clarinetist of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. As an outstanding student, he was selected for an exchange program at Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Conservatory. In 2007, Dai Le won first place in the solo category and second place in chamber music at the Singapore National Clarinet Competition, and his woodwind quintet earned a silver award at the 9th Asian Chamber Music Competition in Bangkok, Thailand.

From 2005 to 2008, Dai Le performed with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and the Macau Orchestra, showcasing his talent as a young clarinetist on the international stage. Between 2008 and 2011, he served with the China Philharmonic Orchestra, where he participated in numerous chamber music concerts and contributed to recordings for TV series and film soundtracks, earning widespread acclaim. In 2011, he pursued advanced studies at the University of Theater and Performance in Graz, Austria, under Stefan Schilling, principal clarinetist of the Bavarian Radio Orchestra. In 2013, he earned his Master’s degree with distinction (Konzertexamen mit Ausgezeichnung).

In 2013, Dai Le was appointed principal clarinetist of the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, where he was frequently invited to give masterclasses and perform solo concerts at various institutions. In 2014, he joined the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra’s European tour as guest principal clarinet, earning praise for his performances, including a review from The Herald (Edinburgh) noting his “perfectly balanced” playing alongside soloists during the 2019 world tour. Renowned conductor Charles Dutoit described his performance as “absolutely outstanding” and that of a “world-class musician” after collaborations with pianist Martha Argerich and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.

In 2016, Dai Le returned to China, taking the role of deputy principal clarinet at the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and joining Ensemble Les Amis Shanghai Friends Chamber Music Society. That same year, he recorded Professor Chen Xiaoyong’s album Xin xiang with Ensemble Les Amis, released by the European Collegno record company. The album won the Best Record in the Contemporary Music Performance Category at the German Record Critics’ Award in the second quarter of 2018, and Ensemble Les Amis was honored with the Best Artist award.

Dai Le has been a prominent figure at international clarinet festivals, performing as a soloist at the Central Conservatory of Music International Clarinet Festival for three consecutive years starting in 2013. In July 2019, he served as principal clarinetist and performed solo and chamber music concerts at the 2nd International Clarinet Art Week with the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra. As a respected judge, he was the only Asian judge at the 1st World Online Clarinet Competition in Italy (2020) and served on the panels for the second and third Buffet Cup (China) Youth Clarinet Competitions. In 2022, he performed as a soloist at the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra’s 30th New Year Concert, and in 2023, his chamber music concert recording was released as part of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra’s 40th Anniversary Chamber Music Series.