Music

Samantha Angelo trained as a classical clarinetist from the age of 12.

After not being allowed to join her elementary school music program in 5th grade, Angelo self-taught herself the Clarinet, until finally joining the middle school band in 6th grade. At the same time she took up clarinet lessons with the Principal Clarinetist of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, John Fullam, whom become her lifelong mentor.

In picking up the Clarinet she was walking in the footsteps of her namesake and grandfather, Samuel Angelo, who immigrated from the Abruzzo region of Italy. Samuel traveled to Ellis Island with only his clarinet and went on to pursue his musical aspirations through songwriting and conducting a jazz band in the 1940’s.

At the age of 16, Samantha was beginning to excel on the instrument and caught the attention of NPR’s From The Top Radio, who flew her and her family to Orlando Fl, to record a live performance of Malcolm Arnold’s Sonatina for clarinet and piano at the Disney Institute. This was an unforgettable experience as it was Samantha’s first time on an airplane, taking her parents on an all-expenses paid trip to Disney World. That same taped audition garnered a Full Emerson scholarship to the Interlochen School of the Arts Summer Music Festival. This was a life changing musical opportunity.

Samantha went on to attend the prestigious Eastman School of Music, fine tuning her conservatory trained ear and forming the woodwind quintet, Bethulia Winds. It was at the beginning of her last semester at ESM that Angelo decided to cut her teeth on her first professional audition. 75 clarinetists ascended to Marine Barracks 8th & I on January 9th 2006, and after a lengthy audition process which lasted into the evening, Samantha walked away having won the position. While in the band Samantha earned her Master’s Degree in Clarinet Performance at the University of Maryland, and additionally performed with the Washington National Opera and Alexandria Symphony.