Maurita Murphy Mead
Professor
Clarinet
Phone: (319) 335-1658
Office: 1012 VMB
maurita-mead@uiowa.edu

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Maurita Murphy Mead

Maurita Murphy Mead is the artist performer and teacher of clarinet at The University of Iowa. Her many national and international solo invitations include the International Clarinet Association conferences, the Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium, the Southeastern Clarinet Workshop, the National Clarinet Symposium of Brazil and the College Band Directors National Association conference.

She has been principal clarinet of several mid-western orchestras, including the Cedar Rapids Symphony. As a chamber musician, she has appeared with many string quartets including an invitation from the internationally acclaimed Cleveland Quartet.

Hailed as a "master teacher", she has been the recipient of the Collegiate Teaching Award at the University of Iowa with a subsequent speaking invitation for the College of Liberal Arts commencement exercises. In turn, her students have won first prizes exclusively, in competitions sponsored by the International Clarinet Association and ClarFest, Inc. In addition to her clarinet duties, Dr. Mead has served as both Associate Director for Graduate Programs and Associate Director for Undergraduate Programs for eight years in the School of Music.

Dr. Mead is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music with the Performer's Certificate, and Michigan State University. A diverse performer, she programs both classical and jazz repertoire. Her debut recital of On the Fence with pianist Arlene Shrut, was one of the featured recitals at the Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium. Her Over the Fence debut recital with Rafael Dos Santos resulted in their first CD of Brazilian choros and chorinhos titled Over the Fence, along with a Brazilian promotional tour and solo recital at the National Clarinet Symposium of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro. The Over the Fence CD is available from WalkingFrog Records (www.walkingfrog.com), the Cedar Rapids Art Museum, Hancher Auditorium and the Iowa Artisan's Gallery in Iowa City.

Dr. Mead is Past Secretary of the International Clarinet Association, having served from 1996-2002. She was an invited performer for the 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2002 ICA conventions. Mead and Dos Santos' performances at ClarinetFest 1999 in Belgium and 2000 included choro performances and collaboration with the leading Brazilian choro player, Paulo Sergio Santos, respectively. During the spring semester 2001, Dr. Mead was on sabbatical to Brazil for research and performance of Brazilian popular and romantic music, and further compilation of another CD. Titled Red Hot & Brazilian, this second CD is a continuation Dr. Mead's passion for choro playing with Rafael Dos Santos.

Dr. Mead's outside interests are varied and include race car driving, racing schools, bridge, golf, jogging, and knitting.

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Last updated 25-oct-06