David Widder: clarinet

David Widder is Professor of Music at Virginia Tech, where he teaches clarinet and served as conductor of the University Symphonic Wind Ensemble for thirty years. A graduate of the University of Arkansas (Bachelor of Music) and the University of North Texas (Doctor of Musical Arts), he works actively as a soloist, clinician, guest conductor and adjudicator. His first teacher was his father, Roger Widder, and subsequent teachers included David Pittman and Lee Gibson. He has appeared more than thirty-five times as a concerto soloist as well as a chamber and orchestral clarinetist in venues around the world, and at conferences of the International Clarinet Society, Horn Society, Double Reed Society, and the Midwest Clinic. In addition to modern clarinet, Widder performs on historical clarinets which he studied with Hans Rudolf Stalder. In 2004, many of his former Virginia Tech clarinet students honored him by returning to campus for a surprise performance on his final Wind Ensemble Concert.

As a conductor, he has appeared in many performances with the Virginia Tech Wind Ensemble and over fifty clinic and honor bands in the United States. In addition, he has performed as a guest conductor in Europe and Asia. Dr. Widder is also the director of the Virginia Tech Music Camp for Middle School Students and the Virginia Tech Honor Band that brings 500 students from across five states to the campus each year.

Prior to his appointment at Virginia Tech, he taught in the Fair Grove, Missouri public schools where his band consistently earned superior ratings and he served as a teacher of clarinet and woodwinds at the University of North Texas.