Clif grew up in the Chicago area where he was introduced to classical music by his mother.  He was educated at the American Conservatory of Music and the University of Chicago. He studied with numerous teachers, most notably, Scott Willits and Paul Makanowitzky.  He has played under such highly regarded conductors as Carlo Maria Giulini, Georg Solti and Daniel Barenboim.  Clif has performed and recorded with many popular artists.

His television credits include Good Morning America and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.  From 1994 to 1998, Clif was Concertmaster for the Yanni World Tour and he appears on the Tribute and Albert Hall videos.

From 2007-2012, Clif was a member of the resident quartet and coached for the Berkeley Youth Orchestra.  He is currently active as a chamber musician and teacher.