Dr. Melissa Morales
Dr. Melissa Morales is the Director of Clarinet Sales at Schmitt Music, newly elected Secretary for the ICA (International Clarinet Association), performs with the Mankato Symphony, and maintains a private studio in Minneapolis. At Schmitt Music she is fortunate to utilize all facets of her musicianship. Daily she assists musicians of all levels refine their sound as they explore various clarinet designs and assorted gear. She frequently visits school programs to coach their clarinet sections, lead industry talks on the scope of careers in music and adjudicates various competitions. Recently she founded the Twin Cities Clarinet Choir - an intergenerational ensemble of clarinet enthusiasts.
Keenly organized, Dr. Morales was fortunate to serve as the first assistant editor for ClarinetFest® in 2014 and again in 2016, leading volunteer writers to cover over 100 events for next day reporting.
Over the years she has performed with ensembles such as the Baltimore Orchestra, Annapolis Opera, Riverdale Chamber Music Society, DC Society of Arts & Letters, National Music Festival–Resonance Chamber Series, 10th Wave Collective, and served as a live-in artist in residence at Collington Continuing Care Retirement Community in Bowie, Maryland. She has held permanent positions with the Apollo Orchestra, Potomac Winds, Chicago Summer Opera, was a founding member of Chicago Symphonic Winds, and served as adjunct music education faculty at DePaul University.