Paige Stafford

Ohio Northern University student Paige Stafford, a junior from Jamestown, spent her summer in good company — specifically, with some of the greatest rising clarinetists in the world.

Stafford, a music performance major, attended the Buffet Crampon USA 2018 Summer Clarinet Academy in Jacksonville, Fla., in July. She was one of only 20 students from North America to make the cut for the extremely selective international academy. Most of the others who were selected hail from nationally prestigious music programs or conservatories, such as Mannes School of Music in New York City, Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., and Eastman School of Music in Rochester.

Put on by Buffet Crampon, one of the leading clarinet manufacturers in the world, the academy was an elite experience during which Stafford was mentored by internationally acclaimed faculty artists who have performed all over the world. She became a student in all things clarinet, taking part in daily private lessons, master classes, lectures and recitals. In addition to performing, she learned about different types of clarinets, how they are designed and how to best care for the instrument.

Stafford was then presented with the Stanley Drucker Award at the conclusion of her final recital to recognize her level of musical artistry, technical proficiency and the collegiality she demonstrated during the academy.

“For Paige to achieve the top prize is remarkable and something for the entire ONU community to be proud of,” says Georg Klaas, Ohio Northern University adjunct instructor of music and Stafford’s clarinet teacher. “I am personally very thrilled for her, although I’m not entirely surprised given her talent and other accomplishments thus far. She certainly has a bright future ahead of her on the clarinet.”

That future will be even brighter as she continues her clarinet career — only now she’s playing a Buffet Crampon Tradition Bb professional clarinet, her prize for winning the award. The instrument is valued at nearly $5,000 and was hand-selected by the academy’s faculty artists, who all autographed the case.

“My biggest takeaway from the Buffet clarinet academy was the concept of possibility,” Stafford said. “The most valuable thing I learned is how to believe in myself. If five professional clarinetists saw something special in me out of all the other students at the academy, I must have the potential to accomplish more than I imagined. I now have the confidence to attempt things I never thought I could do and will seek more opportunities to play at the highest level attainable.”

Stafford credits Ohio Northern with fostering her passion for the clarinet. When she first started college, she was not sure about majoring in music performance, but Ohio Northern’s culture, which encourages both music majors and non-music majors to participate in musical groups and ensembles, won her over quickly. She was a winner of Ohio Northern’s concerto competition in 2017; performed as a soloist during the Wind Orchestra’s tour of Germany, Luxembourg and Austria; and serves as the principal clarinetist in the Symphony Orchestra and Wind Orchestra. She has been recognized for her musical achievements through various scholarships and awards, including the Osmon Memorial Award for Music and Outstanding Freshman Music Major Award.

“Ohio Northern University has given me so many opportunities to grow as a musician and gives me more and more reasons to love playing the clarinet every day,” Stafford said. “The environment at ONU is nurturing for students’ talents. While other institutions may have fiercely negative competition, students at ONU tend to encourage each other to become better musicians rather than trying to demote their classmates.”

Plus, the professors at ONU are very accessible and genuinely care about their students’ progress.”