Short story: I've been playing clarinet for 14 years, and I have no plans on stopping.
Longer story: I hold a bachelor's degree in clarinet performance from Northwestern, and I have been teaching clarinet lessons on and off since high school. As a freelancer out in the world, I prefer to focus on creative projects involving new music and chamber music or smaller ensembles. Both offer greater opportunities for collaboration, whether it be the intense communication of playing in a small ensemble or working with a composer to bring their work to life. Those have always the most rewarding projects I have worked on. Currently, I am playing in the clarinet-saxophone duo Garden Unit with my long-time collaborator Cameron Roberts.
From a teaching perspective, I think it's really important to bring that sense of collaboration into learning any instrument. One of the very greatest joys of music making is playing with other people, so I try to bring that into my lessons from the very beginning. Additionally, my background in research and STEM has given me a unique perspective on clarinet. In my own studies, explaining things in very technical and physically precise terms has been very helpful in learning proper posture, breathing, and technique, and I'd like to think it translates well to my teaching too. My students have gone on to perform in honor band and in solo recitals. I'm an enthusiastic teacher and performer, and I'm excited to be at the start of my career!
Longer story: I hold a bachelor's degree in clarinet performance from Northwestern, and I have been teaching clarinet lessons on and off since high school. As a freelancer out in the world, I prefer to focus on creative projects involving new music and chamber music or smaller ensembles. Both offer greater opportunities for collaboration, whether it be the intense communication of playing in a small ensemble or working with a composer to bring their work to life. Those have always the most rewarding projects I have worked on. Currently, I am playing in the clarinet-saxophone duo Garden Unit with my long-time collaborator Cameron Roberts.
From a teaching perspective, I think it's really important to bring that sense of collaboration into learning any instrument. One of the very greatest joys of music making is playing with other people, so I try to bring that into my lessons from the very beginning. Additionally, my background in research and STEM has given me a unique perspective on clarinet. In my own studies, explaining things in very technical and physically precise terms has been very helpful in learning proper posture, breathing, and technique, and I'd like to think it translates well to my teaching too. My students have gone on to perform in honor band and in solo recitals. I'm an enthusiastic teacher and performer, and I'm excited to be at the start of my career!
TeachersNorthwestern: Steve Cohen (2018-2020), Leslie Grimm (Sept 2016- 2020), Mark Nuccio (2019-2020), J. Lawrie Bloom (2018-2019)
Pre-College: Kai-Yun Lu (Sept 2013- June 2016), Benjamin Seltzer (Sept 2009- June 2013), Christopher Bush (Aug 2006- June 2009) |
MasterclassesMark Nuccio, Northwestern University (2019)
Rebecca Rischin, Northwestern University (2019) Alain Desgagné, PRISMA (2018) Victor Chavez, Northwestern University (2018) John Weigand, Northwestern University (2017) Joel Krosnick, Greenwood Music Camp (2016) Laura Flax, Greenwood Music Camp (2016) Summer FestivalsAmerican Institute of Musical Studies in Graz (2019)
Pacific Region International Summer Music Academy (2018) |
EnsemblesChamber Music
Garden Unit (2021- current) Bois 2 Men, woodwind quintet (2017-2019) Greenwood Music Camp (2013-2016) Large Ensembles Contemporary Music Ensemble, Northwestern University (2019-2020) - dir. Alan Pierson and Ben Bolter Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Band, Northwestern University (2016-2020) - dir. Mallory Thompson Symphonic and Chamber Orchestra, Northwestern University (2017-2020) - dir. Victor Yampolsky |
Listen here!
Solo and Chamber
Coconut Candy - Eric Mandat (2007)
Drei Inventionen - Friedrich Wildgans (1930) - w/ Helen Wargelin
Three Pieces for Three Clarinets Solo - Forrest Eimold (2019)
Three Etudes - George Papajohn (2018) - w/ George Papajohn, Helen Wargelin and Elizabeth Bellisario
Emphemeral Grace - George Papahjohn (2016)
Large Ensemble
"Festmarsch" from Tannhäuser - Richard Wagner (1845) - w/ Symphonic Wind Ensemble for Northwestern commencement 2020
Symphony No. 1 - Johannes Brahms (1876) - w/ Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra, May 2019
Other fun projects
"Are You The One?" - Laurie Gould (2020)
"Love Song For Our ER Docs" - Laurie Gould (2020)
Coconut Candy - Eric Mandat (2007)
Drei Inventionen - Friedrich Wildgans (1930) - w/ Helen Wargelin
Three Pieces for Three Clarinets Solo - Forrest Eimold (2019)
Three Etudes - George Papajohn (2018) - w/ George Papajohn, Helen Wargelin and Elizabeth Bellisario
Emphemeral Grace - George Papahjohn (2016)
Large Ensemble
"Festmarsch" from Tannhäuser - Richard Wagner (1845) - w/ Symphonic Wind Ensemble for Northwestern commencement 2020
Symphony No. 1 - Johannes Brahms (1876) - w/ Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra, May 2019
Other fun projects
"Are You The One?" - Laurie Gould (2020)
"Love Song For Our ER Docs" - Laurie Gould (2020)
Interested in taking lessons? Have pressing questions about reeds? Want to chat about chamber music?