ABOUT Denise Lum, CLArinetist

Denise began her musical studies as a 5-year-old at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Preparatory Division. She started on the piano and added the violin in elementary school before falling in love with the sonorous sound of the clarinet. Denise was fortunate to win a position in the inaugural season of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra, playing Principal Clarinet under Jahja Ling. She was inspired to further her studies at the Interlochen Arts Camp where she realized she wanted to pursue a career as a clarinetist. Denise finished high school at the Interlochen Arts Academy studying clarinet with Frank Kowalsky and playing principal clarinet for the Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra. She studied with Robert Marcellus at Northwestern University where she earned a Bachelor of Music with Distinction in clarinet performance. 

Subsequently, Denise went on to win positions in the South Bend Symphony Orchestra and Savannah Symphony. After 9 years as Principal Clarinet of the South Bend Symphony, she decided to move back to the West Coast and settled in Seattle. Denise has been the Second Clarinet/Bass Clarinet in the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra and the Auburn Symphony Orchestra for the past 19 years. She also freelances with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and records on soundtracks for movies and television. She can be heard on Seattle Symphony Orchestra's recording of Mahler 10 with Thomas Daausgard and she plays the bass clarinet solos in the movie About Schmidt, starring Jack Nicholson.  

Denise resides in Northeast Seattle with her very cute Labradoodle, Brunni. 

CLARINEt teacher

Private Clarinet Lessons with Denise Lum

for children and adults

Denise has enjoyed teaching for nearly 30 years. She has worked with children, college students and adults. While in South Bend, Indiana, Denise was the Instructor of Clarinet at the University of Notre Dame.

Music is for life. Playing in band in middle school, high school or beyond, provides positive, strong social interactions which influence how students think, and learn outside of music.  Over the course of the years, Denise has seen the impact of her teaching. By keeping up with parents of students from her earlier days in Indiana, she has had the privilege of seeing the long term connections students have made through their college band experiences. 

Expectations:

Daily practice is key to getting the most out of your lessons. With your patience and persistence in your practicing, along with my guidance, you will see progress in your playing, and in all things in life. Having an experienced and devoted teacher by your side will make all the difference between quitting in frustration and cultivating a lifelong passion.

Location:

I teach primarily from my home, which is in Northeast Seattle, in the Ravenna/Bryant/Wedgwood neighborhood. Occasionally I offer private or group clarinet lessons in nearby schools.