Bio

    Joanna Birchfield resides in New York City where she performs as the bass clarinetist and section clarinetist for the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra, sub for the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony, and woodwind doubler for various off-Broadway and community theater productions. Additionally, she is a member of the Plattsburgh Community Clarinet Choir and the Deep Sea Low Clarinet Choir.

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     She received a Bachelor’s degree in clarinet performance from The University of Texas at Arlington, where she studied with Ken Krause and Carol Jessup, and a Master’s degree in woodwind studies from New York University, where she studied with Pavel Vinnitsky. Other teachers include Karen Bronson, Michael Norsworthy, Christine Cleary and Suzanne Gilchrest. While at NYU she also studied with John Miller, Ted Sperling, and Joshua Rosenblum in the NYU Broadway Orchestra, where she performed in Songs for a New World and Applause, and was a rotating section doubler for other production projects. 

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     Her love of chamber music led her to become a charter and founding member of two chamber groups, Quattratonic and Fourth Street Trio. With these groups she commissioned and performed world premiere chamber music at the International Clarinet Association’s ClarinetFest in 2018, 2019 and 2021. Additionally, she has participated and performed at the Henri-Selmer Summer Academy held at Michigan State University, and in the Saarburg Chamber Music Festival in Saarburg, Germany. 

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     While in Texas, she maintained a small private clarinet studio. Since moving to New York, she has added saxophone students. She is a member of the International Clarinet Association, Chamber Music America, and Maestra organizations.

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     Before pursuing a music career, Joanna received a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Social Work, spending a fulfilling 15+ year career in Texas, Arkansas, and Iowa as an LMSW in the medical field. She is also a Certified Pastry Chef, and owned a bakery.