As a multi-instrumentalist and educator with a love of musical theatre, Catherine Conlin (she/her/hers) maintains an active career across the United States and is currently the Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Cottey College (Nevada, MO). Originally from Ohio, USA, she received her Bachelor’s from Cleveland State University (CSU), where she studied with Ellen Breakfield-Glick, Dennis Nygren, and long-time Cleveland Orchestra clarinetist Theodore Johnson. In addition to clarinet, she also trained as a soprano with Noriko Fujii-Paukert. While at CSU, Catherine was named the undergraduate winner of the Daniel Rains Solo Competition, performing Debussy’s Premiere Rhapsodie with the CSU Symphony Orchestra. Further, she held the principal clarinet positions with the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra, Cleveland Women’s Orchestra, and Opera Circle. With a passion for making classical music more accessible to audiences, Catherine was a founding member of the woodwind quintet All-Star Winds, who were active participants in the Classical Revolution movement, bringing classical music to bars, coffee shops, and other informal venues. As the baritone saxophone player in her band 6 King Brass, Catherine wrote several of the band’s most popular tunes and had the opportunity to share the stage with the legendary Roger Lewis of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
After moving to Denton, TX, Catherine attended the University of North Texas (UNT) for a Master’s in clarinet performance and a DMA in multiple woodwinds. While at UNT, she studied clarinet with Kimberly Cole Luevano, John Scott, Daryl Coad, and Deb Fabian. She also studied saxophone with Eric Nestler, flute with Mary Karen Clardy, and wind conducting with Dennis Fisher and Eugene Migliaro Corporon. She was a woodwind finalist in UNT’s Concerto Competition and a finalist in the International Clarinet Association’s Orchestral Excerpts Competition. Catherine quickly established herself as an accomplished and highly sought after performer and educator in the DFW area. She is a regular instructor for Bocal Majority’s Clearly Clarinet Camp and a chamber coach for UNT’s ClarEssentials camp. As a pit musician and music director, she plays several musicals each year with a reputation for quality performance. Her versatility and excellent sight-reading skills keep her in high demand, performing for theaters such as Lyric Stage, Grand Prairie Arts Council, Firehouse Theatre, Happy Ending Lyric Players, On Stage in Bedord, Lakeside Community Theatre, Medical City Lewisville Grand Theatre, as well as countless others across the Dallas/Fort Worth, TX and Cleveland, OH areas.
Catherine can be heard as a clarinetist on UNT Wind Symphony’s albums Taylor Made, Noteworthy, and Hope. She is also featured on baritone saxophone in Below Jupiter’s album, Sonorous Dithyrambs. She is a member of the International Clarinet Association, the American Federation of Musicians, and Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honors Society.