YMMC is honored to recognize Mariam Adam as Alumnae of the Year. Mariam was a clarinetist in Youth Music Monterey’s Orchestras from 1989-1993, when Vince Gomez was Music Director and Conductor of the Youth and Honors Orchestras. Her following biography chronicles an amazing musical career. YMMC is proud of our distinguished alumnae. Mariam credits YMMC as an important influence in her musical development. In 2014, Mariam’s TransAtlantic Ensemble presented a benefit recital in Carmel in support of YMMC programs. We appreciate her continued advocacy, and are greatly inspired by her work.
MARIAM ADAM, born in Monterey, California to an Egyptian father and a Mexican mother, lives between New York and Paris, a composite of influences that has shaped her musicianship and collaborations worldwide. She has performed with Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Paquito D’Rivera, Yo-Yo Ma, Eric le Sage, Claudio Bohorquez, Simon Shaheen, Kuss Quartet, Gil Kalish, Ann Marie-McDermott, the Zaide Quartet and in such venues and series as Carnegie Hall, Hollywood Bowl, Walt Disney Hall, Jordan Hall, Kennedy Center, San Francisco Performances, Wigmore Hall, Paris’ Cité de la Musique, Beijing Performing Arts Center, Bremen Musikfest, Jazz à Marciac, Colmar Festival and France’s pre-eminent Folle Journee.
A founding and former member of the Grammy-nominated woodwind quintet, Imani Winds, she maintained an active international touring schedule for over 15 years. The quintet is a pillar in the classical music community, unparalleled in developing the wind quintet to a new level through virtuosity, style, repertoire and engaging programs. Their albums and legacy have won numerous awards and continue to influence wind chamber music through their commissions and original compositions.
Besides her career with Imani Winds, Mariam has been invited for solo recitals and chamber music concerts in such prestigious venues and festivals as Chamber Music Lincoln Center, Burlington’s Lane Series, Chamber Music Northwest, Skaneatles Festival, Chenango Festival, Fontana Arts, La Folle Journée Festival in Nantes, Théâtre de l’Archipel in Perpignan, Musica da Curitiba-Brazil, and various festivals and series in the United-States, Europe and South America. She has performed and toured with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Chineke! Orchestra and been featured on BBC’s “Tune In” with Sean Rafferty several times with Chineke! Chamber Players.
As a soloist, she has played with the Orchestre de Pau, Sacramento Symphony, the Monterey Symphony, the Singapore National Youth Orchestra, Prince George Philharmonic and the Appassionato Ensemble in France.
Her clarinet/piano duo TransAtlantic Ensemble, an official Steinway Ensemble, specializes in commissions of crossover styles, standard repertoire and presents their concerts in unique formats throughout Europe and the United States. In 2010 she started the AdZel Duo with clarinetist Stephanie Zelnick performing works celebrating their combined heritage from the Middle East. Their music covers the conflicting yet homogenous cultures through special commissions and master classes on an international scale.
As an educator she has been invited to give master classes throughout the United States, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, London, Costa Rica, Brazil, Colombia, France, China, Singapore and Germany at the top conservatories. She has been Ensemble-In-Residence at the Mannes School of Music in New York and several schools of music throughout the states with the Imani Winds.
Mariam has recorded 7 albums with Imani Winds (Koch Classics, E1) before being signed by EMI for their exciting wind quintet version of the Rite of Spring which was selected in 2013’s Best of iTunes. She can also be heard on Chick Corea’s “The Continents”, Wayne Shorter’s “Without a Net”, Steve Coleman’s “Ascension to Light” and Mohammed Fairouz‘s “Native Informant”. TransAtlantic Ensemble newest CD "Havana Moon" with the Steinway & Sons Record Label received Sirius XM’s Symphony Hall listing as “BEST RECORDINGS OF 2016”.
Mariam Adam is an exclusive Selmer Paris Artist on the Privilege series and has served as on the Executive Board for Chamber Music America
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