Born in Kazan, Russia in 1973, the composer Airat Ichmouratov originally studied clarinet. At the age of only 20, he already served as Associate Principal Clarinet at the Tatar State Opera & Ballet Theatre and Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra. In addition, he began an international career as a soloist, settling in Canada in 1998. In 2000 he founded the Muczynski Trio of clarinet, cello, and piano which received the First Prize at the 8th International Contemporary Chamber Music Competition in Krakow, Poland. In the same year, he also joined the award-winning klezmer group Kleztory, with which he gave over 1000 concerts around the globe. Ever since, he has developed an intense career as a composer as well, producing symphonies, overtures, numerous concertos for soloists and orchestra as well as chamber music, music for children, and Klezmer music. “Airat is a communicator in the best sense of the word. His music immediately grabs the listener, and a journey starts: storytelling, landscapes, emotions…” – thus the conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin.