Nathan Richey

About Nathan

An energetic performer and educator, Nathan Richey has played the clarinet since he was ten years old. Growing up in rural Kentucky, Richey learned the Appalachian fiddle at an early age. Playing folk songs with his father was his first contact with spreading joy through music, an aspect of performing that he still carries with him to this day. Well-versed in music education, Richey teaches each student according to their goals and learning styles, always with the goal of instilling a lifelong love of music and developing a sense of community.

Richey has participated in festivals such as the Round Top Music Festival and the Domaine Forget International Academy of Music and Dance, where he received the Excellence Scholarship in Clarinet. An enthusiastic chamber music performer, Richey is a two-time winner of the DePaul University Chamber Music Competition, performing works by composers varying from Barber to D’Rivera to Janáček. Additionally, Richey has collaborated with members of the Cleveland Orchestra and Kansas City Symphony during chamber music performances. Richey received his masters degree in clarinet performance from the University of Texas at Austin, studying with Jonathan Gunn. Richey received his bachelors degree in clarinet performance from DePaul University, studying with Julie DeRoche, Michael Rusinek, and Wagner Campos.

Studying music gives students the ability to learn about themselves, their colleagues, and the world around them. If my students leave a lesson feeling musically enriched, cognitively challenged, and looking forward to learning more, I will view that lesson as a success.