Kayla Stone is a dynamic clarinetist, administrator, and educator, weaving her passion for the versatility of the clarinet with a commitment to inclusivity in the classical music landscape. Her artistic journey has been built around transcending boundaries to foster connections between classical music institutions and the broader world, often outside of traditional performance space.

 

She has a passion for the chamber music of today, with her work in this field including premieres of new chamber works for widely varying instrumentations and a performance for the Living Music Initiative at the International ClarinetFest in 2019. In 2023, she performed Ricky Ian Gordon’s Orpheus and Eurydice: A Song Cycle in Two Acts as a solo clarinetist. Her extended chamber engagements include the Rubato Quartet from 2018 – 2022 and the Furman Wind Quintet from 2021 – 2022.

 

While her love for the development and showcasing of new music is a major aspect of her life as a performer, Kayla also has a love and excitement for traditional repertoire. She attended the Aria Music Academy in 2021 and, following the Furman University Concerto Competition, had the honor of performing the Mozart Clarinet Concerto with the Furman Symphony Orchestra.Kayla also has built a career around music pedagogy. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education, and student taught in the Anderson 4 school district in Pendleton, South Carolina in 2022. She has conducted and led bands from sixth to twelfth grade in competition and concerts, including a Concert Performance Assessment with the Riverside Middle School band, receiving a Superior with Distinction. Since 2018, Kayla has taught clarinet lessons from students ages 11 through late adulthood, and is currently teaching a studio of 15+ clarinet students. In addition, she has received her teaching certificate from Department of Education in South Carolina.

 

As a Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Scholar currently studying at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University for a Master’s degree in Clarinet Performance, she brings her expertise to her work at Peabody as the Community Engagement Intern for the Peabody Launchpad office and as a Concert Office Intern. Having graduated from Furman University with a B.M. in Music Education in 2022, she served as Furman Bands President from 2021-2022. Notable awards include the Vince Perone Outstanding Bandsmen Award, Furman University; and the Keith Lockhart Award, Furman University. Her principal teachers include Alexander Fiterstein, Anastasia Christofakis, and Cecelia Kang.

 

Set to graduate with her Master’s in May of 2024, Kayla’s story as a young professional continues to evolve.