noun

• 1A woodwind instrument with a single-reed mouthpiece, a cylindrical tube with a flared end, and holes stopped by keys.

  ‘My mother played some piano and my father was able to play violin, some piano, saxophone, clarinet, trumpet and trombone.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Because the bore is cylindrical, clarinets are much cheaper to make than oboes.’
  • ‘The instruments all stopped except a clarinet, which gave a loud squeak.’
  • ‘His Cello Concerto in C, Op. 20, written in 1899 has a surprise opening, with the oboe and then the clarinet appearing before the cello.’
  • ‘In the orchestra, she plays two musical instruments: the bass clarinet and piccolo clarinet.’
  • ‘She began to learn the clarinet, saxophone and oboe in 1985, and learned the art of conducting at the Mozart Conservatory of Music in Salzburg in 1995.’
  • ‘I also learned to play the violin, the clarinet, the saxophone and the accordion.’
  • ‘Two thirds of the children had some musical experience and those with orchestral skills played violins, clarinets, cellos, flutes and saxophones.’
  • ‘I stopped readying my clarinet and looked him in the eye.’
  • ‘But in 1954 he stopped playing the clarinet, claiming he could not achieve the level of artistry he desired.’
  • ‘He began playing the piano when he was five, then played a lot of different instruments in high school, including the oboe and the clarinet.’
  • ‘He played clarinet in a town orchestra whose instruments were donated by a mill owner.’
  • ‘I was invited to play the clarinet in the camp orchestra, which was a huge treat for me.’
  • ‘He started playing the clarinet at 20 and soon moved on to the saxophone.’
  • ‘Darius wanted to bring in a bass clarinet for this.’
  • ‘He wrote several violin concertos and a smaller number for wind including probably the first solo clarinet concerto.’
  • ‘Finally, something interesting was coming up: a rare, but long-awaited second clarinet solo.’
  • ‘She takes piano lessons and plays clarinet in our fifth grade band.’
  • ‘The members of the clarinet section called after her loudly.’
  • ‘I play guitar and the piano and am learning the clarinet.’
  • ‘The programme includes the Mozart clarinet concerto, Vaughan Williams' Folk Song Suite and Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance.’
  • ‘Griffiths came to the orchestra as a clarinet player six months ago.’

  1. 1.1An organ stop with a tone resembling that of a clarinet.
     More example sentences

     • ‘On the theatre organ, the Clarinet is the most common reed after the Vox Humana and Trumpet.’