The Contemporary Clarinet Quartet, one of the newest ensemble components of the United States Air Force Band of Flight, will perform at Denison University at 8 p.m. on Monday (April 17) in Burke Recital Hall. The concert will feature a variety of works and is free and open to the public.

The Contemporary Clarinet Quartet travels extensively during the school year conducting master classes for students and performing in nationally renowned concert halls. Led by Technical Sergeant Carolyn Sargent, the Contemporary Clarinet Quartet consists of Senior Airman Richard Dryer, Senior Airman Wendy Harvey, and Airman First Class Hara Laskaris-Hackett. The concert at Denison will draw from a selection of works ranging from John Lennon's "When I'm 64" and a George M. Cohan medley to a Mozart minuet, a French folk song and a "Grand Quartet" by James Waterson.

Sargent earned her bachelor's degree in music education from Glassboro State College and enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1983. She served as solo clarinetist in the Concert Band and Woodwind Quintet at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey. She has performed as a guest artist with the Dayton Philharmonic. Dryer earned his bachelor of music degree from Butler University and his master's degree from Kent State University. He is currently studying at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. He serves as a soloist and section clarinetist with the Concert Band and functions as one of three computer network administrators for the band.

Harvey earned her bachelor of music degree from Baldwin-Wallace College and her master's degree from Ohio State University. She has performed with the Berea Summer Theatre, the Columbus Women's Symphony, the Westerville Civic Orchestra and The Heisey Wind Ensemble. Laskaris-Hackett holds both bachelor's and master's of music degrees in clarinet performance from James Madison University, Va. Her professional experience includes serving as a clarinetist in the Roanoke Symphony and the Ashlawn Opera Orchestra, teaching public high school and working as a free-lance musician in the New York City area.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575