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Shelton Student California Bound for Conference

Sarah Kutash will be participating in the International ClarinetFest Conference in August

While most college students will be spending the beginning of August preparing to head back to school, Sarah Kutash, a 2010 graduate of , will be packing her bags for California. 

Kutash will be performing at the International ClarinetFest Conference with fellow members of the University of Delaware’s Clarinet Ensemble.

The Conference is being held at the Valley Performing Arts Center on the California State University, Northridge campus. About 1600 people are expected to participate in this year’s Conference which is hosted by the International Clarinet Association.

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Kutash said “The International ClarinetFest Conference is a well-known conference for clarinet. Our professor applied for us to go and we got in.” 

Kutash added that she is excited for the opportunity to attend the conference and is also looking forward to seeing other clarinetists perform.

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The group’s nine members and their professor will be in Delaware for two days to practice before they leave for the Conference on August 5. 

Kutash said they will have 22 minutes to play their two pieces, one of which clocks at 17 minutes. “We’re playing '3 Elegies' by Gavin Bryars, which is rarely played because of how hard it is.”

The ensemble will also be performing a Bach chorale that was arranged by a graduate member of the group. 

Kutash has been playing music since fifth grade and is attending the University of Delaware as a music education major, a path she decided to pursue while in high school. 

“I love playing music because it helps me to relax and clear my mind. Music is also everywhere you go and it’s really cool to be a part of that.”

After graduation, Kutash is hoping to become a middle school music teacher and also work with a high school marching band. Kutash says eventually she would like to become the director of a high school band. 

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