Musician well endowed

Musician Alexander Fiterstein is like Kenny G with a clarinet.

However, Fiterstein willingly lacks the flowing hair, he doesn't own a curling iron and his music is intended for more than just elevators and dentist offices.

Actually, the only thing they have in common is their reputation for going solo.

Fiterstein is well endowed with gifts that could qualify him as a musical prodigy. It may be inconceivable for skeptics to believe that the clarinet, one of the smallest woodwind instruments, has the potential to captivate an audience with one man going solo.

For those disbelievers - size doesn't matter; it's how you use it. And if there's anyone who knows how to use it, it's Alexander Fiterstein, who will be playing Sunday at Kleinhan's Music Hall in Buffalo.

Fiterstein has performed in orchestras all over the globe and has toured with renowned musicians for much of his life. Sunday he will be coming to Kleinhan's Music Hall in Buffalo to play a few tunes through his world-class woodwind.

Fiterstein, like some sort of time-traveler, will be combining classical chamber music with contemporary compositions.

So expect a little Mozart and, well, someone not as famous as Mozart but who has composed recently.

"I like to combine new and old. I like the human element to it. I try to have it reflect our time, not as if I was living 200 years ago. I think music in general has to be reflective of the time," Fiterstein said.

Fiterstein was born in Minsk and moved to Israel with his family when he was 2. He spent his childhood there until he came to the United States to attend The Juilliard School for music.

Fiterstein played as a soloist with the Vienna Chamber, the Tokyo Philharmonic, and the Israel Chamber Orchestras, hopping continent-to-continent, and orchestra-to-orchestra.

His endless regimen of recitals has had a beneficial effect on his music.

"I think playing concerts is the biggest lesson. I've learned a lot more from performing than just practicing. With every performance I am growing," Fiterstein said.

He's ditched the orchestra and has enticed a pianist to take up his renegade ways to have an intimate performance this Sunday. Like an actor leaving a sitcom to pursue a movie career, Fiterstein is breaking away from crowded orchestras to distinguish himself.

"A solo performance is a more intimate setting. I guess it's just difficult with an orchestra. You play one concerto and you're done. There'll be a lot of different kinds of pieces. It will show a lot of different sides of musical life," Fiterstein said.

Fiterstein is coming to Kleinhan's as part of the Young Artist Series of First Prize Winners. He won First Prize in the 2001 Young Concert Artists International Auditions as well as the 2001 Carl Nielsen International Clarinet Competition.

As a young artist, Fiterstein feels it's important to get everyone, young and old, exposed to chamber music.

"I think in many places, in every city, there's always an audience for classical (music). I think it's important for us to reach as many possible people for the next generation. Exposing them to this music is important for the future," Fiterstein said.

Musicians like Fiterstein may enlighten those not privy to his musical field by reminding them that there's chamber music out there beyond film scores and background music for those NFL Films productions.

There's a beautiful style of music that our culture has not tapped into and has largely overlooked. Add some culture to your life and go see Fiterstein this Sunday at Kleinhan's.

The concert is free, and the performance starts at 3 p.m.