Department of Music
Currently, Amy Simmons is Assistant Professor of Music at The University of Tennessee at Martin where she teaches studio clarinet, saxophone and double-reeds. In addition to this, she conducts and coaches the clarinet choir and woodwind chamber ensembles. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Simmons taught for 3 years at the University of Evansville. While pursuing graduate work in Arizona, she served as principal clarinet of the Arizona Opera Orchestra for two seasons. She has performed solo and chamber music recitals throughout the United States as well as in Germany, Austria, England, Ireland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Simmons is an avid performer of new music and has commissioned pieces from Howard Helvey (U.S. premiere in Sioux City, IA; European premiere in Budapest, Hungary), Forrest Pierce (European premiere in Dublin, Ireland) and Russell Riepe (U.S. premiere in San Marcos, TX) in the past 2 years.
Dr. Simmons, born and raised in South Carolina, began her formal music training while attending Winthrop University as an undergraduate music student. Upon graduation, she began work under Dr. Robert Spring at Arizona State University where she completed a Masters Degree and a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree. At Arizona State University, she was a winner of the Contemporary Music Society competition and the annual Concerto Competition, performing the John Corigliano Concerto with the Symphony Orchestra. Simmons has recorded on Summit and Centaur labels. Her first solo cd, The Clarinet Music of Russell Riepe, will be released in 2005.
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