Paul Votapek has been a member of the Naples (FL) Philharmonic since 1988 and was chosen by Music Director Christopher Seaman to be the Principal Clarinetist in 1996. He has appeared as a soloist with the Naples Philharmonic on five occasions, performing the Mozart Clarinet Concerto three times, the Copland Clarinet Concerto and Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante. At the request of Music Director Keith Lockhart, he spent the 1998-1999 season as the Acting Principal Clarinetist of the Utah Symphony. Mr. Votapek was also the substitute Principal Clarinetist for the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra for a tour of Asia in June of 1997 and concerts in Boston’s Symphony Hall with Keith Lockhart conducting. He has performed at the Pine Mountain Music Festival in Michigan, and at the Marrowstone Music Festival in Washington. He has been an adjunct faculty member at Florida Gulf Coast University since 2007.
Growing up in Michigan, Mr. Votapek studied with Fred Ormand for six years. He received his bachelor and master’s degrees from Northwestern University where he studied with Clark Brody and Robert Marcellus. He has completed doctoral classes and recitals at Florida State University where he studied with Frank Kowalsky.