DePaul's clarinet studio is well known for its high level of clarinet education, its productive and collegial atmosphere, and its successful alumni. We strive to give our students a clear understanding of what it takes to be a professional, and we do this in an environment of constructive support. Our goal is to help our students achieve success by giving them the tools needed to become the best clarinetists and musicians they can be, no matter the career path they choose. We are one studio, with three teachers, and a terrific set of enthusiastic and talented students.
Faculty
The Clarinet Studio
There are approximately 22-25 clarinet students at DePaul, of whom 16-18 are undergraduate students and 6-8 are master's and certificate students. At this time we do not offer a doctorate. All students have contact with faculty members through weekly lessons and studio class, and students often study with more than one faculty member during their career at DePaul. We pride ourselves in the collegial attitude among our students, fostered by faculty members who have similar teaching ideas, playing styles and attitudes. DePaul’s unique attitude of mutual support allows for individual, healthy growth.
While at DePaul, clarinet students have opportunities to perform in our two orchestras, two wind ensembles, contemporary ensemble, opera orchestra and chamber music groups. They may also take orchestral repertoire courses, courses in studio teaching as a career and in the business of music. Studio class topics include the study of performance, how to teach, supervised peer teaching, reed making and adjustment, repertoire, orchestral excerpts, audition preparation and much more.
Studio and playing assignments are based on the needs of the particular student, but all students receive a well rounded education to improve technical basics, such as embouchure and tongue position, tonal development, consistent intonation, articulation, breathing, technical development and how to practice, how to take a successful audition, etc. Study materials consist of much of the basic scale and etude repertoire, solo and chamber literature, and orchestral literature and excerpts.
Sample Recital Programs
Junior Recital
Premire Rhapsodie Claude Debussy
Shepherd on the Rock. Op. 129 Franz Schubert
Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 167 Camille Saint-Sans
Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano Aram Khachaturian
Senior Recital
Dance Preludes Witold Lutoslawski
Concertpiece No. 2, Op. 114 Felix Mendelssohn
Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, Op. 115 Johannes Brahms
Graduate Recital
Sonatina Bohuslav Martin
Fantasiestcke, Op. 73 Robert Schumann
Duos for Flute and Clarinet Robert Muczynski
Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in A Major, K. 581 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Alumni Accomplishments
DePaul alums have won positions in major orchestras, military bands, teach at universities, high schools, and elementary schools, work in arts management or in recording studios, and have successful free-lance performance careers. We are proud of the many successes of our students and alumni, who continually prove to us that they leave DePaul as excellent clarinetists, confident individuals and educated, thoughtful musicians. Although the kind and number of positions are too numerous to list, here is a small sample of positions held by our studio alumni:
• The Philadelphia Orchestra
• Minnesota Orchestra
• National Symphony Orchestra, Washington D.C.
• New York Philharmonic
• San Antonio Orchestra
• San Francisco Symphony
• L'Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec, Canada
• Ottawa Symphony, Canada
• Osaka Philharmonic, Japan
• U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own”
• U.S Marine Band “The Presidents Own”
• Clarinet Faculty, University of North Texas
• Clarinet Faculty, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
We love to keep up with our alums. What are you doing now? Please contact Julie DeRoche to update us on your accomplishments.