Largest clarinet ensemble

The largest clarinet ensemble is 1,381 participants and was achieved by La Grande Clarinette (France) in Châtellerault, France, on 30 August 2026.

When French conductor Emmanuel Boulanger discovered the record for the largest clarinet ensemble, which stood at 448 participants, he decided it could be beaten. Over the following year, he turned this “crazy idea” into a record-breaking reality, reaching out to clarinet teachers and conservatoires across the country and building a project that quickly grew beyond expectations. Supported by a crowdfunding campaign and the city of Châtellerault, the attempt brought 1,381 clarinettists together, with musicians travelling from across France and beyond. Despite never having played together before, they performed as one ensemble in front of thousands of spectators.