CURRENT STUDENTS
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Emma Selmon is pursuing her doctor of musical arts degree at the University of Maryland, College Park School of Music, where she is serving as the clarinet studio graduate assistant. She earned her master of music degree in clarinet performance from the University of Maryland in May 2023.
At the University of Maryland, Selmon has been a member of the Wind Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra as well as a number of chamber ensembles. With the Wind Orchestra, she served as principal and E-flat clarinetist at their 2023 College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) convention performance in Athens, Georgia, which included the world premiere of Clarice Assad's Multiverse: Another Rite of Spring. In the summer of 2022, she was a contemporary performance fellow at the Atlantic Music Festival, where she played clarinet and bass clarinet on the premieres of 15 new chamber ensemble works. Selmon received her bachelor of music degree in clarinet performance from the Baldwin Wallace University Conservatory of Music in 2019. During her undergraduate career, Selmon played in a variety of chamber groups and was a member of the university’s Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Wind Ensemble; with the latter, she performed in concerts at the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall. In addition to her musical pursuits, she served as editor of the university’s award-winning student newspaper, The Exponent. Following her graduation from Baldwin Wallace, Selmon worked as a reporter and news editor for the Gratiot County Herald, a local newspaper reaching nearly 11,000 readers per week in the Ithaca, Michigan area. During that time, she was also a member of the Alma Symphony Orchestra in Alma, Michigan and maintained a private clarinet studio. Selmon is currently a student of Professor Robert DiLutis. Her previous instructors include Dr. Wesley Warnhoff, Dr. Dennis Nygren, Daniel McKelway and Dr. George Stoffan. |
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Ashley Hsu, a musical artist specializing in classical and jazz clarinet, is a first-year master’s student studying clarinet under Robert DiLutis and jazz improvisation under Tim Powell.
As a musical artist, she was a member of the 2020 and 2022 CBNDA Intercollegiate Band, won 2nd place in the 2021 Sidney Forrest Clarinet Competition, and participated in Honors Performance Series’s Virtual Music Summit and National Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Music Institute. In addition, she has performed in multiple ensembles and performances in and outside of the University of Maryland community. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in clarinet performance from the University of Maryland in 2022. As a musical educator, Hsu has completed her student teaching experience under UMD's music education degree program. She served as a junior faculty member of the 2022 Terrapin Music Camp, and she is currently an assistant at Paul Carr's Jazz Academy of Music. She served as a guest clarinet and saxophone teacher under Talbot County’s lesson program this past spring at Easton Middle School, and she was a resident assistant for the 2023 National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute. Currently, she performs with Capital Focus Jazz Band as the clarinetist/vocalist. She has a growing studio of music students through her private studio as well as the Pritchard Music and International School of Music studios, and she also works in the Special Collections in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library at UMD. Other than performing and teaching music, Ashley enjoys biking, folding origami, and photography. |
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Jackson Lasher is a first-year graduate student beginning his studies with Professor Robert DiLutis at University of Maryland, pursuing a master of music degree and currently serving as an ensemble graduate assistant in the School of Music.
Lasher completed his bachelor of music in clarinet performance at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Fredonia. At Fredonia, Lasher was involved in many instrumental ensembles, serving as the principal clarinetist for the College Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra under Dr. David Rudge and Maestro Jaman Dunn, the Hillman Opera Orchestra under Maestro Andrew Bisantz, and Wind Ensemble under Dr. Paula Holcomb. An avid chamber musician, Lasher has played in numerous reed quintets, clarinet trios and duos, clarinet and string trios and quintets, and was an active collaborative musician featured in numerous recitals throughout the years, including programming at the 1891 Fredonia Opera House. Lasher was active with the Fredonia Clarinet Ensemble both as a clarinetist and conductor, featuring as a conductor in their Spring 2023 concert. Lasher participated in numerous conducting classes and seminars at Fredonia, such as an instrumental conducting class and a seminar in musical and opera conducting, which included a masterclass with Col. Jason Fetting of "The President's Own" United States Marine Band. As a clarinetist, Lasher participated in masterclasses with Dr. Kimberly Cole Luevano (University of North Texas) and William Amsel (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra), among others. Lasher was a founding member of the Fredonia Clarinet Association, serving as both treasurer and vice president, bringing more clarinet to our campus through the studio and the International Clarinet Association (ICA), with numerous Fredonia faculty and students participating in the most recent New Music Weekend. Lasher is a native of Lockport, New York, and has studied with Sean Crawford (Community Music School of Buffalo), Dr. Andrew Seigel, Professor Elizabeth Hanlon, and Professor I-Fei Chen (SUNY Fredonia). |
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Nick Lopez is a first-year masters student at the University of Maryland, College Park School of Music. He is currently a member of the Wind Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra and performs in several chamber ensembles.
Prior to his graduate studies, Lopez completed his bachelor of music in clarinet performance and an artist diploma at Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, Texas. During his time at TCU, Lopez played in the TCU Wind Symphony as principal and E-flat clarinetist, performing at the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) music convention in San Antonio and at the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) convention in Tempe, Arizona. He was principal clarinetist in the TCU Symphony Orchestra, participating in their Argentina Tour and performing at TMEA as well. After completing studies at TCU, Lopez performed in the Mesquite Symphony Orchestra as 2nd and E-flat clarinetist, and was a section member of the Mansfield Wind Symphony, which performed at the 75th annual Midwest Clinic as an invited ensemble. He was also the principal and E-flat clarinetist in the Oak Lawn Band. He kept a private clarinet studio and was a contracted musician for various public performances. Lopez is currently a student of Professor Robert DiLutis. He has previously studied with Gary Whitman (TCU Emeritus), and the late Andy Crisanti (Fort Worth Symphony). |
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Hallie Pike is a first year master of music in clarinet performance student at the School of Music at the University of Maryland, College Park. Hallie is also the community engagement graduate assistant for the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. She is from Jay, Maine, and holds a bachelor’s degree in clarinet performance from the University of Southern Maine. Hallie has played in numerous chamber ensembles, ranging from trios to dectets, all around Maine and beyond. Currently, she works as the operations coordinator for the Portland (ME) Symphony Orchestra, as well as the administrative coordinator for the National Music Festival in Chestertown, Maryland. She has also held a position on the Portland Chamber Music Festival board, serving as a voice for music students in Maine. Hallie is a student of Professor Robert DiLutis, and her past instructors include Dr. Thomas Parchman and Karen Beacham.
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Alexis Deifallah is a current junior at UMD, majoring in clarinet performance and minoring in creative writing, following her passions through higher education. Dedicated to music, she was a member and president of her high school's Tri-M Music Honor Society while participating in extracurricular ensembles such as The Bowie High School Chamber Orchestra and Bowie High School Pit Orchestra for several years. She has been engrained in the Maryland music world since participating in the Terrapin Summer Youth Music Camp starting at age 13, then coming back as a junior counselor for her last 2 years in high school. Currently at the university, she is a part of the University of Maryland Wind Ensemble. Always immersed in the arts, during her free time she likes to attend poetry slams and concerts, and dancing in various clubs on her campus throughout the semester.
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Gracie Morgan is a sophomore at the University of Maryland studying clarinet performance under Professor Robert DiLutis. She has played clarinet for nine years and studied under Dr. David Duree for three years. She has been a member of the All-County Band and Orchestra throughout high school and has been selected to play in the Maryland Senior All-State Band twice. Gracie graduated from Liberty High School, where she was the principal clarinet in the Honors Wind Ensemble, Orchestra and Jazz Band. She also played bass clarinet in the Symphonic Band and participated in the Percussion Ensemble. Gracie was the clarinet section leader for the two-time Atlantic Coast Championship-winning Lion’s Pride Marching Band.
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Marli Banner is a freshman music education student studying clarinet under Robert DiLutis. Throughout her high school career, she served as the principal clarinetist of the Symphonic Band, first trumpet of the Jazz Band, and Captain of the Trojan Marching Band at Gaithersburg High School. Outside of her school, she played with the Browningsville Community Band and various gigs around the D.C.-Baltimore area. Currently, she plays with the University of Maryland Wind Ensemble and continues to play Trumpet with The Mighty Sound of Maryland Marching Band.
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Annie Gruman is a freshman at the University of Maryland, College Park studying with Professor Robert DiLutis. Annie is a former student of Joseph Beverley, a graduate of the University of Maryland. In high school, she played clarinet and bass clarinet in the Tampa Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, the Patel Conservatory Tampa repertory and pit orchestra, and the Bay Area Winds symphonic band. Throughout her high school career, she was selected to play at the annual Festival of Winds hosted at the University of South Florida, as well as the summer program at the Interlochen Center for the Arts. Currently, she is a member of the University of Maryland Wind Ensemble.
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Michael Ortiz is a freshman at the University of Maryland, College Park studying with Professor Robert DiLutis and pursuing a bachelor of music degree. Currently, he is a member of the University of Maryland Wind Ensemble and partakes in chamber music. Throughout high school Michael has served as principal clarinet for numerous ensembles: the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, the Nazareth Honor Band, and the 2023 NYSSMA Conference All-State Band, among others. He has won both runner-up in the Rochester Philharmonic League’s Instrumental Category and was awarded first prize in the David Hochstein Recital Competition. He was also the student founder of his school’s chapter of Tri-M, where he worked to promote within his small community. In 2020, Michael was appointed district accompanist at his home school and he served as an interim conductor when his director took a hiatus. He enjoys sharing his love for music and is excited to see where his next four years at UMD will lead him!
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