The Swiss clarinetist, Ernesto Molinari, was born in Lugano, Switzerland in 1956. He studied clarinet in Basel and bass clarinet in Amsterdam and is an accomplished soloist on each of the instruments in the clarinet family. Numerous compositions have been composed especially for him and his fearless approach to playing has inspired a new generation of clarinet players. From 1994 to 2005 he was clarinetist in the Viennese Soloist Ensemble Klangforum Wien. He has