EducationBA Luther College
MM DePaul University
AboutNora Shaffer is an in-demand freelancer and private instructor in the Chicago area. She has
had the pleasure of performing and recording with many area ensembles.
A proud DePaul University graduate, she studied with Larry Combs and Julie DeRoche while earning a Performer’s Certificate and Masters in Music (with distinction) . She completed a BA in music at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa and has also studied with Stephen Williamson, Bil Jackson and Andrew Stevens.
Passionate about chamber music, Nora is a founding member (Clarinet 1/Eb Clarinet) of the Lake Effect Clarinet Quartet. As Vandoren artists, the quartet presents concerts and clinics across the Midwest. Notable performances include the International Clarinet Association’s 2017 ClarinetFest, a residency at the Avaloch Farm Music Institute, and the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.
Nora maintains a private studio in Chicago, as well as significant studios at Lake Central High School in St. John, Ind., Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Ill., and Puzon’s Musical Instruments in Lansing, Ill. Her talented students have participated in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa All State Bands/Orchestras, have received consistently high marks at Solo and Ensemble Festivals, moved higher within their respective sections and have been accepted to study clarinet at many quality universities.
In 2017, Nora’s method, Scales and Harmonic Studies for the Intermediate Clarinetist, the first comprehensive intermediate scale study, was published by EHM Publishing. Suitable for high school - early college, this method provides students with a solid knowledge of all keys to eliminate frustration when learning more complex variations of scale study.
For more information about Nora, visit www.norashafferclarinet.com