Clareidoscope 2025: State Chair Recital
State Chairs Recital
Saturday March 15, 2025
Madrigal (originally for flute and piano) (1908)
Phillipe Gaubert (1879-1941)
Shannon Thompson, clarinet (North Carolina State Chair)
Lillian Buss Pearson, piano
This is from a performance in honor of my flute colleague at WCU, Eldred Spell, who passed away
suddenly in December 2022. It was one of his favorite pieces. Here is a pdf of the clarinet transcription.
This music is in the public domain.
Story Hour for B-flat Clarinet and Narrator (1996)
Philip Parker (b. 1953)
IX. The Formula
II. The Builders
VIII. Death of H.D., a Prominent Citizen
VI. The Grievance
Gail Lehto Zugger, clarinet (Ohio State Chair)
Thomas W Zugger, trombone
Old Town Junk (2023)
Garrett Gillingham (b. 1987)
David Cook, clarinet (Illinois State Chair)
Emily Grabinski, piano
Aria and Rock
A New York Autumn
Andy Firth (b. 1966)
Cathy Ogram, clarinet (Virginia State Chair)
Music of Amanda Harberg (b. 1973)
Oh Snap! (2024)
Prayer (2016)
Tango (2023)
Tim Bonenfant, clarinet (Texas State Chair)
Martha Saywell, piano
Always Here (2024)
Tyler Mazone (b. 1998)
Julianne Kirk Doyle, clarinet (New York State Chair)
Commissioned for and premiered in Dublin, Ireland in August 2024. Written in memory of Bella, my first
ever pet, a cat I rescued in my first few years living in Potsdam as a young single faculty member. We
returned from ClarinetFest 2023 in Denver to find her terminally ill and had to say goodbye the day we
arrived home. I commissioned Tyler to write this work to remember our dear pets. Sometimes we still feel
their spirits when they are gone, we remember their playfulness and cherish their memory.
Our pets are “Always Here”
Any Woman: A song cycle on poems by three Irish women (2019)
Lori Ardovino (b. 1960)
1. My Dearest Text by Ethna Carbery (1866-1902)
2. Any Women Text by Katherine Tynan (1859-1931)
3. Now Text by Eleanor Alexander (1857–1939)
The Camellia Duo
Melanie Williams, soprano
Lori Ardovino, clarinet (Alabama State Chair)
Amazing Grace (2023)
arr. by John Steinmetz (b. 1951)
Wide Load (2024)
Marc Mellits (b. 1966)
Égide Duo
Joshua Gardner (Arizona State Chair)
Stefanie Harger Gardner
St. James Infirmary (2024)
Traditional American Folk
Joshua R. Mietz, clarinet (Wyoming State Chair)
Alex Annan, bass
Ian McClune, piano
Ian Spillman, drums
Ben Hall, guitar
Kelsey Wallner, vocals
Performer Biographies
Alex Annan is currently Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Theory at the University of Wyoming. In August of 2024, he completed his doctoral degree in Jazz Studies with a secondary emphasis in Classical Bass from the University of Northern Colorado. Prior to his time at UNC, he completed Jazz Degrees at the University of Kansas and University of Nebraska-Omaha. Alex has released four albums under his name with the most recent, Northern Dreams, being released in September of 2024. Alex has won four DownBeat Student Music awards and was a finalist for the Herb Alpert Young Composer Awards in 2023. He has performed with many jazz greats such as Diane Schuur, The Brubeck Brothers, Anat Cohen, Ken and Harry Watters, dam Larson, and Marcus Lewis.
The Camellia Duo is a faculty ensemble at the University of Montevallo, Montevallo, AL. Its members include Melanie Williams (soprano) and Lori Ardovino (clarinet). The Duo advocates for music by living composers and has premiered numerous works for voice and clarinet. Lori Ardovino is an Artist/Clinician with Conn-Selmer Company, D’Addario Woodwinds, and a Fulbright Specialist. Currently, she is a Professor of Music at the University of Montevallo, where she is the Chair of the music department and teaches clarinet, saxophone, and woodwind methods and ensembles. She is the Alabama State Chair for the International Clarinet Association and Music Editor for the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors. Melanie Williams enjoys an active career performing solo, chamber, opera, and choral repertoire. The lyric soprano earned the MM and the DMA in Vocal Performance at Louisiana State University. Williams is a professor of music at the University of Montevallo, where she teaches Applied Voice, Vocal Pedagogy, and English and French Diction courses. This duo also performs with the LeBaron Trio, and the Meàllo Trio.
Dos Gatos (Tim Bonenfant and Martha Saywell) have performed together since 2012 when both were faculty members at Angelo State University. Dos Gatos has presented recitals at the ICA ClarinetFest, the Music by Women Festival in Columbus, MS, the College Music Society South Central Conference, the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors and the American Single Reed Summit (2018). Dos Gatos focuses on presenting music by composers from marginalized communities, with a particular focus on women. Dos Gatos also presents music of African-Americans, Asians and Asian-Americans.
David Cook is Associate Professor of Clarinet and Chair of Instrumental Performance Studies at Millikin University, Principal Clarinet of the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, and clarinetist for the Appian Duo and the Greyline Duo. Past appearances include the International Clarinet Association’s ClarinetFest®, the College Music Society National Conference, the NACWPI Conference, and the Midwest Clinic. David’s book Clarinet Conditioning: Warm-Ups and Perspectives, featuring contributions from clarinetists including members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, is published by Conway Publications. David holds BM and BME degrees from Central Michigan University, MM degrees in clarinet performance and chamber music from the University of Michigan, and the DMA degree in clarinet performance and the MM degree in music theory from the University of Oklahoma. David is a Buffet Crampon USA Performing Artist and a member of the Silverstein Works PRO Team. davidcookclarinet.com
Emily Grabinski is a highly sought-after recitalist, chamber musician, and orchestral keyboardist based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She has shared the stage with internationally acclaimed artists, including but not limited to Sujari Britt, Chee-Yun Kim, and Grammy-winning violinist Philippe Quint. Following a decade of playing within academic institutions (Ashland University, Grand Valley State University, Hope College, Grand Rapids Community College) as a staff accompanist, dance accompanist, opera repetiteur, and vocal coach, Emily decided to focus her efforts back to her first fascinations: solo and chamber repertoire. In November 2023, this brought her to Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall with her longtime duo partner, clarinetist David Cook (Appian Duo). When Emily is not at the piano herself, she mentors a select number of piano enthusiasts at her home studio and spends quality time with her husband, son, and daughter. To connect more with Emily, please visit www.emilygrabinski.com.
Julianne Kirk Doyle is Professor of Clarinet and Admissions/Audition Coordinator at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. Dr. Doyle served as Director of the Crane Youth Music Camp from 2008-2023 and as ICA Pedagogy Coordinator from 2022-2024. She currently serves on the ICA Pedagogy Committee and as New York State Chair. She performs regularly with the Aria Reed Trio, Potsdam Woodwind Quintet, Potsdam Reed Quintet and as Principal Clarinet with the Orchestra of Northern New York and Northern Symphonic Winds. Dr. Doyle has published articles on alleviation and prevention of the soft palate air leak and regularly assists students and professionals in minimizing soft palate problems. She holds the DMA and MM degrees in Performance and Literature and an Arts Leadership Certificate from the Eastman School of Music and a BM from the University of Oklahoma. Her primary teachers included Jon Manasse, David Etheridge and Bradford Behn. Dr. Doyle is honored to be an artist with Backun Musical Services and DANSR/Vandoren. www.jkdoyle.org
Dr. Joshua Gardner is Associate Professor of Clarinet and Director of the Performance Physiology Research Laboratory at Arizona State University, where he has taught since 2011. He performs regularly with several chamber ensembles, including the internationally recognized Paradise Winds and Égide Duo. Gardner won first prize at the International Clarinet Association Research Competition in 2008 and has presented lectures on tongue motion during clarinet performance throughout the US, often accompanied by live tongue imaging. He is also a member of the interdisciplinary ASU research group, SAMBA—Science of Art, Music, and Brain Activity. The group plans to integrate ecologically-based perceptual scene-analysis theory, music performance and education principles, and neural brain modeling tests. Dr. Gardner received Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Kentucky and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Arizona State University. Gardner is a Silverstein Pro Team Artist and Henri Selmer Paris/Conn-Selmer Performing Artist.
Dr. Stefanie Harger Gardner is residential faculty at Glendale Community College (AZ). Gardner maintains an active performance career, performing with the internationally recognized Paradise Winds, grant-winning Égide Duo, Arizona Opera, the Phoenix Symphony, Red Rocks Chamber Music Festival, and the Seventh Roadrunner Ensemble. She has performed in conferences for the International Clarinet Association, the International Double Reed Society, the North American Saxophone Alliance, and the International Viola Congress. Gardner’s chamber music albums are recorded on the Soundset label and can be heard on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube. In 2012, Gardner won first prize at the International Clarinet Association Research Competition with her study, “An Investigation of Finger Motion and Hand Posture during Clarinet Performance.” She received Bachelor, Master, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Clarinet Performance from ASU studying with Robert Spring. Gardner is a Silverstein Pro Team Artist and Henri Selmer Paris/Conn-Selmer Performing Artist.
Born and raised in East Tennessee, Ben Hall is a guitarist who performs regularly across the Northern Colorado area. In addition to playing and recording with a wide range of groups, he is also currently pursuing a doctorate degree in jazz guitar at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.
Currently in his final year of his undergraduate degree at University of Northern Colorado, Ian McCune is a pianist/bassist originally from Washington. He is currently based in Greeley, CO and is constantly playing many styles of music across Colorado.
Joshua R. Mietz, DMA is an Instructor at Casper College in Casper, Wyoming. He teaches Applied Clarinet and Saxophone, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, College Band, and the History of Blues, Jazz, and Rock. He also serves as the Executive Director of Casper College’s annual Kinser Jazz Festival and performs with the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra. He is an avid arranger of music, and his works are currently available through Alea Publishing and Potenza Music. Cathy Ogram is a retired military clarinetist, educator, performer and ICA State Chair for Virginia, West Virginia and DC Drummer Ian Spillman is based in the Denver metro. His style ranges from jazz to rock to hip hop and everything in between. He has played with the Colorado Symphony and also has recorded with Carmen Bradford with the University of Northern Colorado’s Compass Jazz Orchestra.
Shannon Thompson is the clarinet professor in the School of Music at Western Carolina University where she has led the clarinet studio since 1997. She is principal clarinetist of the Hendersonville Symphony and bass clarinetist of the Asheville Symphony. Dr. Thompson’s ClarinetFest 2012 presentation “The Signature Sound of Daniel Bonade and His Students” available on YouTube is utilized in clarinet courses throughout the United States. The review of her 2016 ClarinetFest performance described her “powerful sound” as “well-suited to the compelling dramatic weight of the (Gouvy) sonata.” As a recitalist and chamber musician, she is an avid forager and transcriber of music. Her upcoming album features new transcriptions of the music of Rebecca Clarke, Mel Bonis, and other women composers of the past.
Pianist Lillian Buss Pearson has appeared throughout the continental United States, England, Costa Rica, and China as soloist and collaborative artist. From 1988 to 2007, she was the head of the keyboard area at Western Carolina University. Pearson’s solo orchestral appearances include performances with the Jacksonville Symphony (FL), the Asheville Symphony (NC), the Breckenridge Festival Orchestra (CO), the National Chamber Players (NC), and the Brandenburg Ensemble (FL). Dr. Pearson’s principal teacher was Hungarian trained pianist Edward Kilenyi. Her interest in historically informed performance practice led her to study harpsichord and fortepiano. She also studied with pianist and Alexander Technique expert Nelly Ben-Or of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, and she she earned her certification as a teacher of the Alexander Technique under the guidance of Missy Vineyard. Dr. Pearson has performed as accompanist at many conferences and workshops, including international flute and clarinet conventions.
Downbeat Award-winning vocalist and educator Kelsey Wallner charms audiences with inventive interpretations of jazz touchstones while placing the history of the music front and center. As a highly versatile performer, she has worked as a guide singer for the forthcoming Carmen McRae tribute album Carmen Sings Carmen!, featuring Carmen Bradford and the Compass Jazz Orchestra, and she enjoys performing her own jazz fusion, folk, and jazz projects throughout the Denver metro area.
Gail Lehto Zugger is Professor of Clarinet at Capital University and Second Clarinet of the Ashland Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Zugger can be heard in recording on Thomas Zugger’s Dances and Dreams: Recital Music for Trombone on the Mark Records label, which was considered for Grammy nomination in 2010. She has played with the Columbus, Dayton Philharmonic and Lancaster (OH) Festival symphony orchestras and has given clinics at over a dozen MENC (now NAfME) conferences throughout the United States including at the Midwest Conference in Chicago. This coming July, she will perform a lecture recital at ICA’s ClarinetFest in Fort Worth, TX. She currently serves on the ICA’s Pedagogy Committee and as the ICA state chair for Ohio. Originally from Racine, Wisconsin, she holds degrees from The Ohio State University and University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee. Her former teachers include James Pyne, Russell Dagon and Jack Snavely.
Praised for his “beautiful resonate tone” and “outstanding flexibility” (ITA Journal), Dr. Thomas W Zugger has enjoyed an international career as a performer, educator, and composer. Zugger is Professor of Trombone and Euphonium and since 2019 has served as Dean of the Capital University Conservatory of Music. As a trombonist and euphonium player, Dr. Zugger has performed extensively including Mansfield Oh Symphony, Columbus Symphony Orchestra, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra,and at the 18th Macau China International Music Festival. His CD, Dances and Dreams: recital music for trombone, on the Mark Record label was awarded a Grammy entry list nomination. Dr. Zugger is an artist/clinician for Edwards Trombones. Zugger’s compositions are regularly performed by artists nationally and internationally and have been featured at the International Trombone Association, International Trumpet Guild, and International Clarinet Association annual conventions. His compositions are published by Warwick Music and Cimarron Music Press.
Program PDFWhen: 03/15/2025 | 12:45 pm
Featuring: Shannon Thompson, clarinet, Lillian Buss Pearson, piano; Gail Lehto Zugger, clarinet, Thomas W Zugger, trombone; David Cook, clarinet, Emily Grabinski, piano; Cathy Ogram, clarinet; Tim Bonenfant, clarinet, Martha Saywell, piano; Julianne Kirk Doyle, clarinet; Melanie Williams, soprano, Lori Ardovino, clarinet; Joshua Gardner, Stefanie Harger Gardner; Joshua R. Mietz, clarinet, Alex Annan, bass, Ian McClune, piano, Ian Spillman, drums, Ben Hall, guitar, Kelsey Wallner, vocals
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