Elisabeth Stimpert

Elisabeth Stimpert holds degrees in clarinet performance, music theory, and music education from the Eastman School of Music and The Ohio State University.  She currently serves as professor of clarinet at Bucknell University, Dickinson College, Kutztown University, and Messiah College. As a founding member of Alarm Will Sound, Elisabeth has appeared frequently as clarinetist and bass-clarinetist with that critically-acclaimed new music ensemble, including recent performances in New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Denver, Moscow and St. Petersburg, and Amsterdam.  For more information about Alarm Will Sound’s current activities, including the release of the ensemble’s newest album A/Rhythmia on Nonesuch Records, please visit www.alarmwillsound.com. Between Alarm Will Sound engagements, Elisabeth performs regularly with her faculty colleagues in and around central Pennsylvania. 

Prior to settling in Pennsylvania, Elisabeth was principal clarinetist of the Midland-Odessa (TX) Symphony Orchestra.  With the orchestra’s quintet-in-residence, the West Texas Winds, she toured extensively in Texas and New Mexico performing to appreciative audiences in schools, malls, concert halls, gazebos, and even once on an ice rink!

Throughout her work as a performer and teacher, Elisabeth is committed to bringing new music to new audiences.  She has worked with many of today’s leading and emerging composers, and has performed world premieres of works by John Adams, David Lang, Wolfgang Rihm, Michael Gordon, Augusta Read Thomas, Stefan Freund, Robert Pound, John Orfe, and Payton MacDonald, among others. 

Elisabeth’s primary teachers have included Kenneth Grant, James Pyne, and Eugene Marquis.  She performs on Buffet clarinets with Pyne Signature mouthpieces and Vandoren Black Master reeds.  Her bass clarinet is a Buffet Prestige Low-C model, also with a Pyne Signature mouthpiece and Vandoren standard bass-clarinet reeds.