Ellen Breakfield-Glick joined the faculty at Western Michigan University School of Music as Assistant Professor of clarinet in Fall 2019. At WMU, she teaches applied clarinet, coaches chamber music and performs with the Western Woodwind Quintet and the Western Winds. Praised for her “skill and poise” and “lovely” playing (Cleveland Plain Dealer), she maintains a versatile career as an educator, orchestral clarinetist and chamber musician.

 

"...both a novelty and a delight."

--The Cleveland Plain Dealer

Prior to her appointment at WMU, Dr. Breakfield-Glick served on the faculty at Cleveland State University from 2013-2019. She won the 2016 CSU Golden Apple teaching award, given to faculty members for excellence in teaching and outstanding contributions to the CSU community. During the summer, Dr. Breakfield-Glick is the Guest Faculty Director at the University of Michigan’s MPulse Clarinet Institute and Woodwind Instructor at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities.
 

An active orchestral musician, Ellen has played second clarinet with CityMusic Cleveland Chamber Orchestra since 2012. In addition, she frequently appears with the Louisville Orchestra and the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. 

A performer interested in inclusive and innovative programming, she is the clarinetist with Music in the American Wild (MAW), a chamber ensemble formed to commission works performed in outdoor spaces. The group has performed extensively throughout the country, in partnership with the US National Park Service. MAW has received awards and grants from organizations including the NEA, New Music USA and Chamber Music America. They released their first album with ArtistShare in 2018. Their next project, supported by a CMA Classical Commissioning Grant, will take them to Hawai’i in February, 2020 to celebrate Hawai’ian composers, culture and conservation of the islands. 

 

Ellen received a Bachelor of Music Degree and Arts Leadership Program Certificate from the Eastman School of Music and Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts Degrees from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance.