ABOUT
Currently based in Ottawa, Canada, Michael Dassios is a full time clarinetist, and mouthpiece craftsman who in a few short years, has established a client list that includes many of the leading orchestral performers and educators in Canada and abroad.
Born and raised in Toronto, Michael originally attended the University of Toronto for sciences
and subsequently auditioned for placement in second year clarinet performance. He went on to win both the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Orchestra, and University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competitions. After his undergraduate studies, he was awarded the R.S. Williams and Sons Co. Woodwind Scholarship from the Glenn Gould School to pursue an Artist’s Diploma with Joaquin Valdepeñas. While at the Glenn Gould School, he began performing as a soloist
with orchestras and held a fellowship at the American Academy of Conducting at the Aspen Music Festival and School.
After discovering Michael's aptitude for adjusting mouthpieces, Valdepeñas encouraged him to pursue the art of mouthpiece crafting with guidance from James Kanter in Los Angeles after graduating from the Glenn Gould School. While freelancing in Toronto, Michael engaged in a partnership with Harknett Musical Services to produce a hand-finished mouthpiece to offer the quality of hand-crafted professional equipment at an affordable price to dedicated beginning and intermediate level players. The HMS-Dassios line of mouthpieces began with an initial stock of over six hundred pieces. This was a unique opportunity to work in high volume early on in a mouthpiece crafting career.
After accepting a position as a musician with the Canadian Armed Forces, he was posted to the Royal
Canadian Air Force Band in Winnipeg, Manitoba where he performed regularly with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra on soprano, E-flat, and Bass Clarinets. Michael’s experience as a soloist, orchestral performer, chamber musician, and military bandsman informs his understanding of the needs of musicians in a broad range of musical environments on all members of the clarinet family.
​
Now serving with the Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces in Ottawa, Ontario, Michael frequently travels throughout Canada and the United States to attend performances by his colleagues and provide mouthpieces and refacing services to clarinetists.
