Samantha Johnson-Helms Clarinet
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Samantha currently serves as the Principal Clarinet of the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra (THSO) in Terre Haute, Indiana and the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic (CIP). She is a native Hoosier, born in Ft. Wayne, IN, but has lived in Cleveland, OH and Tucson, Arizona. Her introduction to the clarinet was in Tucson, Arizona where she picked up the instrument for the first time in fifth grade at the age of 10. Moving to Columbus, IN shortly after beginning the clarinet, she continued to play the instrument in her middle school and high school bands and orchestras, studying with Isami Kawachi. In addition to the clarinet, Sammy enjoyed playing the baritone saxophone in her high school jazz band and the marimba in her high school marching band. While in high school, Sammy played in several state ensembles including All State Honor Band, All State Jazz Band, and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Side-by-Side program. While in high school, she began studying composition with Dr. Michael Schelle and continued her clarinet studies with Achille Rossi, retired clarinetist of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Sammy received her Master’s degree in Clarinet Performance in 2013 from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University where she studied with Eli Eban. In 2011, she graduated summa cum laude from Butler University with her bachelor’s, studying with Achille Rossi. While attending Butler, she performed Debussy’s Première rhapsodie with the Butler Symphony Orchestra as the school’s concerto competition winner. While at Butler, she was inducted into the prestigious music fraternity, Pi Kappa Lambda in 2010 and enjoyed serving as Treasurer of the Zeta Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota.

As serving principal clarinet of the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra, Sammy performed W.A. Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A in November of 2014. In addition to the regular THSO and CIP seasons, she has also had the opportunity to perform with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra and the Carmel Symphony Orchestra in Carmel, IN. Sammy also performs with The Novacane Quartet, a clarinet quartet founded by Erik Franklin, in January 2014. The Novacane Quartet’s mission is to create new avenues for art music and encourage composers to write new, quality works for the clarinet quartet repertoire. In addition to the quartet, Sammy performs along side Kevy Bailey in Duo Savvy, a duo focused on music outreach and performance. Sammy has also performed with Reimagining Opera for Kids, a group founded by Kim Carballo based out of IU that commissions and performs children’s opera in Bloomington schools and the surrounding area.

Sammy is currently pursuing her Doctor of Music degree at Indiana University with Howard Klug.

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