Georges Grisez

Who is Georges Grisez?

Georges Grisez was a French-born American clarinetist. He was an active soloist, recording artist, and orchestral musician.

Born in Paris on 31 March 1884, Grisez studied with Arthur Grisez and later at the Paris Conservatory, winning first prize in clarinet in 1902, before moving to the United States in October 1904. He served as principal clarinetist for the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1904 to 1914, and for the Philadelphia Orchestra for the 1922–23 season. He made several recordings on the Phono-Cut Label in 1913. He reportedly played flute in the New York Symphony. He also played with the New York Chamber Music Society, New York Philharmonic, the Letz Quartet, the Grisez Woodwind Quintet, and the Georges Longy Club. He performed the Brahms Clarinet Quintet with the Letz Quartet in the 1921 Maverick Concerts. He may have served as a musician in the French army during the First World War.

He moved to Minnesota in 1923 to perform with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and later teach at the University of Minnesota. He was one of the first clarinetists to play with the NBC Symphony, alongside principal Alexander Williams.