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Introducing Artist VIP

Mary Alice Druhan - Professor of Clarinet, Texas A & M University

email: Mary.Druhan@tamuc.edu

Biography       

                           Mary Alice Druhan has enjoyed an active performing career around the United States and also in Germany, Spain, Italy, Great Britain, Thailand, and Puerto Rico. She became an official member of the Dallas Wind Symphony in 2003 and has since also performed with the Dallas Festival of Modern Music, Triforia Winds, Shreveport Symphony, Shreveport Opera, East Texas Symphony, Plano Symphony, and the Color of Sound chamber series. Prior to moving to Texas, Mary served as solo Eb clarinetist with the U.S. Army Band, “Pershing’s Own” and formerly as Eb clarinetist with the Baton Rouge and Acadiana symphonies as well as Bb and/or bass clarinet roles with many ensembles including Ohio Light Opera, Natchez Opera, Sorg-Whitewater Opera, Baton Rouge Symphony, Acadiana Symphony, and the U.S. Army Band, “Pershing’s Own” Ceremonial Unit and Orchestra.

                          Dr. Druhan has built an active and successful clarinet studio at Texas A&M University – Commerce where she has been since 2002. Students under her tutelage thrive, often receiving awards, teaching fellowships, research fellowships, scholarships, and jobs in many fields including teaching and performance. The university has recognized Dr. Druhan’s success with the title of Full Professor and with awards in the areas of both teaching and research including the H.M. Lafferty Distinguished Faculty Award for Scholarship and Creative Activity in 2016, the James “Jim” Vornberg Award for Teaching in 2011, and the University Faculty Research Award in 2010.

                       An advocate for community outreach, she is the founder and director of the Northeast Texas Clarinet Day, an event with humble origins which evolved into the Texas Clarinet Colloquium (recipient of the 2011-2012 Community Seed Grant award from the College Music Society) and which has now grown into an international festival, the Clarinet Colloquium. She has brought more than 200 artists and many hundred more guests to the Commerce and Dallas campuses of the university for these events.

                       As service to the profession, Mary has been involved in a number of activities including TMEA (All-State) music selections for clarinet and presentation for TBA, the TMEA UIL Prescribed Music Class I selections for clarinet, adjudication for the TMEA TSSEC festival (ten years), adjudication for ICA (young artist competition), the Dallas Winds Educational Outreach Committee, University committees and faculty senate, and Departmental committees.

                      In 2011 Mary suffered a serious playing-related injury which threatened her performing career and inspired her research into musician injury, prevention, and recovery. Her work in this area has been featured in a six-part series ofThe Clarinet (journal of ICA) and she presents lectures and clinics about injury prevention around the country. Her lecture, “Protecting the Musician: An Injury Prevention Presentation” has received enormous support from students and teachers alike.

                    Mary Alice Druhan is a Performing Artist for Backun Musical Services, a member of the Silverstein Pro Team, and an Artist with the World Clarinet Alliance. She has faced the challenges and rewards of her career with her family including her husband Sean and their four amazing children. 

 

New Information Under development 

Message from Dr Druhan

 

Agendas and Performance and Teaching Philosophy

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Revised: January 13, 2019