Check out some recordings!

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 5 (highlights)

Performed with the New World Symphony at the New World Center on January 21, 2023 under Gemma New from the Dallas Symphony.

(Video credit to the New World Symphony)

Johannes Brahms - Symphony No. 3 in F Major, Movement 1

Here is Mr. Cruz playing principal clarinet with the New England Conservatory Philharmonia. The piece is Symphony No. 3 in F Major by Johannes Brahms. This performance was recorded on October 6, 2021 in Jordan Hall under the baton of Tristan Rais-Sherman.

(Video credit to the New England Conservatory)

Donald Steven - Sapphire Song for Solo Clarinet

This piece was performed in Mr. Cruz’s master’s degree recital at Eastman School of Music in Hatch Recital Hall on April 1, 2021. The work is unaccompanied (solo clarinet) and meant to emulate the traditional Japanese shakuhachi. There are various techniques used in order to achieve this traditional Japanese-folk mood. These include: quarter tones, glissandi, improvisation, and vibrato. This piece is designed to evoke a sense of calmness and self-awareness to the listener.

Franz Schubert - The Shepherd on the Rock

Also a passionate chamber music lover, Mr. Cruz often collaborated with his fellow colleagues in performances as well. Here he had the pleasure of playing Schubert’s The Shepherd on the Rock in Bea Kim’s master’s degree recital. The performers are Bea Kim (soprano), Benjamin Cruz (clarinet), and Nathan Cheung (piano). This performance was recorded in May 2021 at The Eastman School of Music in Kilbourn Recital Hall.

David Liptak - Soundings

Here Mr. Cruz is playing principal clarinet with the Eastman Wind Ensemble. This was also his first ever concert at the Eastman School of Music. The Piece is Soundings by David Liptak. This piece was performed September 18, 2019 in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.

(Video credit to Mark Scatterday and the Eastman School of Music)

Benjamin Britten - The War Requiem, Op. 66

At Eastman, Mr. Cruz also performed many times with clarinet auxiliary instruments. Here he is playing Eb clarinet and bass clarinet in Britten’s War Requiem. This was recorded March 6, 2020 in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.

(Video credit to the Eastman School of Music)

Carl Nielsen - Clarinet Concerto Op. 57

During his senior year at DePaul University in 2019, Mr. Cruz performed the Nielsen Clarinet Concerto memorized in his senior degree recital. The video showcases the 2nd clarinet cadenza within this piece. The recital was performed April 27, 2019 in the then newly-built Brennan Family Recital Hall.