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Susan Wells, clarinet
CLARINETIST SUSAN WELLS, a native of New Jersey, attended the University of Dayton with a clarinet scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Therapy. At the age of 21 she performed as a finalist in a national concerto competition i n New York City. She has studied clarinet with Robert Fisher, Lola Weir, Dr. DelRosso at Farleigh Dickenson University, and James Pyne. Susan credits her most important teacher, the late legendary clarinetist and teacher Kalmen Opperman to have been the mo st influential to her career as a clarinetist.
Ms. Wells was on the faculty of the Community School of Buffalo from 1981 - 1995. Susan spent two seasons as a resident artist and Principal Clarinetist with the Rome Festival Orchestra in Rome, Italy.
Susan rec eived praise from renowned clarinetist Richard Stoltzman for her performance at the 1998 National Public Radio debut of the Lepskaya - Wells Duo. In 1998, Susan received an invitation and scholarship to attend the first International Clarinet Summit with Kal men Opperman and Richard Stoltzman at the New England Conservatory of Music. In April of 2000, Ms. Wells made her recital debut in Chicago with pianist Yevgeniya Lepskaya. Susan has performed in numerous radio and television broadcasts in the Western New York area. As a clarinet soloist, she has performed throughout North America. Along with her concert schedule, she is also a noted teacher of clarinet.
Susan’s Biography has been included in the 2005 - 2006 Manchester Who’s Who edition of Honorary Executive s and Professional s. Upon moving to Chesapeake, Virginia in 2009, she has performed with the Norfolk Chamber Consort as well as serving on their Board of Directors. In 2012, Susan was appointed as a Commissioner to the Chesapeake Fine Arts Commission. She has served as Chair and Co - Chair of the Chesapeake Fine Arts Commission. In 2016, Susan founded Coastal Virginia Chamber Music and serves as Artistic Director. Susan had a personal memoir published in the Biography Kalmen Opperman : A Legacy of Excellence “ Passing on the Flame” . written by Dr. Denise Gainey and published by Carl Fischer in 2018. Ms. Wells will be joining the faculty o f the Inter Harmony International Music Festival in July of 2020 in Acqui, Terme, Italy.