Biography

Dr. Petar Smilev is a Macedonian clarinetist based in Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. He was born in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, where he spent his childhood and completed his undergraduate education.

Petar started playing clarinet when he was 13 years old and began learning music from the leading Macedonian folk clarinetists Vlatko Terziski and Nikola Jovanov. Later, Jovanov became his high school teacher and mentor. The rich sound of the clarinet, which is heavily utilized in traditional Macedonian music, was his main inspiration for choosing to pursue the clarinet.

He participated and won first and second prizes in many solo and chamber music competitions, such as the international woodwind competition at the art school Stevan Mokranjac, Macedonian national competition at DMBUC Ilija Nikolovsk-Luj and Chamber Music Kavadarci at OOMBU Lazo Micev Rale. 

Dr. Smilev completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius where he studied with the profound Macedonian clarinetist and teacher Stojan Dimov. He was very active in performing and made an impact as a clarinet player by winning principal positions in the Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Band.

In his second year of his studies, Petar was recognized by the Macedonian Youth Orchestra "Sasha Nikolovski - Gjumar" and invited to perform as a soloist in the Ohrid Summer 2015 and Skopje Summer 2015 Festivals. Later he got an opportunity to be part of the Macedonian National Theater playing in the popular musical Chicago, as well as the comedy Life is Wonderful and the drama Interrupted Oddysey. Petar was part of the tour in Poland with the drama Interrupted Oddysey where he collaborated with the Polish Theater Helena Modrzejewska and performed over 20 times. In his last year he won a position in the Macedonian Opera and Ballet where he worked for one season.

In 2019, Petar decided to pursue his Master's Degree at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. He studied with Stojo Miserlioski, who is currently one of the leading Macedonian clarinetists and teachers. For two years Petar was the principal clarinetist of FAU's Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra. He won the Concerto Competition in 2019 and performed the first movement of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A Major with the Symphony Orchestra. Petar gave a Master's recital in 2019 and earned the Magna cum Laude award. At FAU, Petar had a masterclass with Stephen Williamson, the principal clarinet of Chicago Symphony Orchestra, who inspired him greatly to continue working on his professional career. While living in Boca Raton, he also performed with the Florida Wind Symphony.

In his last semester of his Master's studies, Petar decided to take an audition for the DMA program and a Graduate Teaching Assistant position at the University of Kansas. After he successfully passed the audition in 2019, he began studying with Dr. Stephanie Zelnick. Soon, Dr. Zelnick became a huge influence and inspiration for his success and achievments during his time in Lawrence.

As a Graduate Teaching Assistant he started teaching undergraduate students, and for the first time he got in touch with the teaching side of his profession. Alongside teaching one-on-one lessons, he also gave masterclasses as part of his GTA assignments. Soon, he discovered the beauty of teaching clarinet and it became his passion as much as performing.

At KU, Petar familiarized himself with all the different types of clarinet. He played as the principal clarinet in the Symphony Orchestra and WInd Ensemble; a bass clarinet, contraalto clarinet, and contrabass clarinet in the Wind Ensemble; and bassinet clarinet as part of a chamber ensemble. Being a part of two large ensembles, different chamber groups, and his solo performances, Petar became one of the leading clarinet players of the university. Leaving a mark in the School of Music, he wasinvited to perform as a soloist with the Jazz Band performing Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite in 2020. Also in 2020, Petar won the concerto competition with his performance of Artie Shaw's Clarinet Concerto. In 2021 he performed the concerto with the KU Symphony Orchestra.

After his successful performance of Artie Shaw's Clarinet Concerto, he was invited by Dr. Paul Popiel to perform it with the KU Wind Ensemble in the fall of 2021. Only few months later he collaborated with Dr. Carolyn Watson and performed the same concerto one more time with the La Porte Symphony Orchestra in Indiana. Alongside these performances, he also gave a solo recital in 2020, chamber recital in 2021, performed on every concert with the Wind Ensemble and most of the concerts of the Symphony Orchestra. In the end of his Doctoral studies, he wrote his doctoral document "Modernist Techniques and Macedonian Folk Elements in Tomislav Zografski's Five Pieces for Solo Clarinet, Op. 131/1" and gave a lecture-recital on May 8, 2022.

Today, Dr. Smilev works as a private teacher and has his own private clarinet studio in the Dallas area.