(Dr. Simmons with nephew, Derrick)
Currently, Amy Simmons is Assistant Professor of Music at The University of Tennessee at Martin where she teaches studio clarinet and saxophone. 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 and is an avid performer of new music. 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, was released in 2006. |
