Elizabeth Schmidt
clarinetist, Band director, and Teacher in Syracuse, NY
Elizabeth Schmidt is a dynamic clarinetist and educator based in Syracuse, New York. She enjoys collaborating with other musicians in the performance of chamber, contemporary, and new music, which has led her to perform in a variety of venues, including a Viennese penthouse, Madison Square Garden, and Beale Street. Elizabeth loves to meet people from different cultural backgrounds, and last summer, she had the opportunity to tour Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands, as the principal clarinetist of the Blue Lake International Northern Winds.
When Elizabeth is not performing, she is likely teaching, either in a band or clarinet lesson setting. A Chicagoland native, her philosophy of music education certers around equity and inclusion in instrumental programs, especially for students who are English Language Leaners, which is discussed in her most recent publication, “Applying El Sistema: An Analysis of The People’s Music School in Chicago, Illinois.”
Some of Elizabeth’s favorite musical memories include singing in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, performing under the direction of Ret. Col. Michael J. Colburn, and playing E-flat clarinet for Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5.