Kelsey Paquin
Kelsey Paquin is a vibrant performer whose passion and clear musical vision engages audiences in an authentic way. Her joy for music has taken her around the world, having performed throughout the United States and Europe, including the Czech Republic, Austria, and Italy, most notably at Terme Milano and Casa Verdi in Milan and Dvořák Hall in Prague. She has appeared with Panama City Pops Orchestra, Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, Winston Salem Symphony, Western Piedmont Symphony, Piedmont Wind Symphony, Greensboro Opera, and American Wind Symphony Orchestra. Along with pianist William Hueholt, Kelsey is co-founder of Black Dog Duo, a clarinet-piano duo that explores classical, klezmer and modern music with a heavy focus on community outreach. She is the 2015 Grand Prize Winner of The University of North Carolina Greensboro Student Artist Competition and appeared as a soloist with the Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra.
Kelsey has appeared as lecturer and clinician at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Florida A&M University, and Stetson University. A dedicated teacher, she believes that private music lessons are an invaluable asset for students of all levels. Clarinet lessons focus on fundamentals of clarinet playing, music literacy, creative thinking, and most of all FUN! Kelsey teaches from her studio at the College of Music at Florida State University, and in homes across Tallahassee, Florida. In addition to private lessons, she teaches Freshman Fundamentals, Clarinet Methods and Chamber Music at FSU and music theory, clarinet masterclass and private clarinet lessons at FSU’s Summer Music Camp. Kelsey was also on faculty at St. Mary’s Music Academy and The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Summer Music Camp.
Kelsey is currently a doctoral student and teaching assistant at Florida State University. Her research focuses on the clarinet works of Indian classical composer John Mayer. As a recipient of the Presser Graduate Music Award, she will travel to London, England and Kolkata, India to complete this research project. She holds a Master of Music degree from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a Bachelor of Music degree from Ithaca College and has studied at G. Verdi Conservatorio di Musica in Milan, Italy. Her primary teachers include Deborah Bish, Jonathan Holden, Anthony Taylor, Kelly Burke, Michael Galván, Luigi Magistrelli, David Sapadin, and Miriam Lockhart.