Brian Grivna began performing at age 12 as Young Artist clarinet soloist with the Minnesota Orchestra. He added saxophone and flute the following year and by age 15 was subbing for his teacher in commercial dance bands. After receiving his B.A. in English literature from Dartmouth College, he worked in jazz, commercial, and theater music before joining the Buddy Rich band in 1971. He toured with Rich for almost two years, recording four RCA albums and several television shows.
Grivna was the staff woodwind performer for the Guthrie Theatre from 1973 to 1983. He left the Guthrie to freelance and teach, recording numerous CDs with both the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and Minnesota Orchestra. Brian was privileged to tour Japan and Europe with Minnesota Orchestra under Eiji Oue, and Europe under Osmo Vänskä. In 2002 he toured the West Coast with Bobby McFerrin and the SPCO, performing in the orchestra and jamming be-bop tunes with Bobby during his solo concert segment. Mr. Grivna teaches at the University of Minnesota and in his home studio, performs jazz at local clubs and plays saxophone and clarinet for the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra and the Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis. He also plays in pit orchestras for traveling musicals such as The Lion King, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Victor/Victoria.
Last modified on July 2, 2007