W&L Presents Senior Recital Featuring Carissa Petzold ’21 On May 1, Petzold will perform an expansive variety of clarinet works.

By Erica Turman
April 20, 2021

Carissa Petzold ’21, a Washington and Lee University senior, will perform an expansive variety of clarinet works on May 1 at 8 p.m. Portrayals of the instrument will include Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s seminal introduction of the clarinet to the musical stage, Johannes Brahms’ drawn-out explorations of its beauty, and Igor Stravinsky’s inspired demonstrations of its versatility.

The performance will be streamed online for free at https://livestream.com/wlu.

Petzold is majoring in music and economics and minoring in classics. As a clarinetist, she studies with David Perry, a music lecturer at W&L.

Most recently, Petzold was named one of the winners of the 2020-21 Concerto-Aria competition and performed the first movement of the “Clarinet Concerto in A” by Mozart at the April 5 University Orchestra and University Wind Ensemble Concerto-Aria concert.

As an inaugural member of the Instrumental Conducting Mentorship Program under Christopher Dobbins, assistant professor of music at W&L, she has been afforded numerous opportunities to conduct both the University Orchestra and the University Wind Ensemble. Dobbins also served as Petzold’s mentor for her ongoing Summer Research Scholars project, which involved the transcription and re-orchestration of pre-Civil War marches composed by Benjamin Grierson.

“Professor Dobbins is hands-down my most influential mentor at W&L,” Petzold said. “In both formal academic settings and countless office conversations, he has shaped my perspectives on conducting, rehearsing and pedagogy. Most importantly, he has been the model of a dedicated and caring professor.”

Petzold has presented her research findings at the Texas and Virginia Music Educators’ Association Conferences and conducted three of the pre-Civil War marches in concert with the University Wind Ensemble in April 2021. She also recently presented a session entitled “A Human Connection: How Students Benefit from Experiencing Guest Composers in Action” at the College Orchestra Directors’ Association conference and participated in the College Band Directors’ National Association intercollegiate honor band in 2019.

While at W&L, Petzold has also been a member of the University Wind Ensemble, University Jazz Ensemble and the University Orchestra, serving as section leader for both the jazz ensemble and orchestra. She is also passionate about the environment and gets her hands dirty as a sustainability intern and member of the Compost Crew. Petzold is involved as a teaching assistant for applied statistics and serves as the events chair for the College Democrats. Additionally, she is a member of the Concert Guild Committee and has performed with the ensembles in numerous Augusta Correctional Center concerts. She has actively served for two years on the Lenfest Center Student Selection Committee and has directly promoted W&L student participation and interaction in bringing performing arts to campus.

Off campus, Petzold performs as assistant principal clarinetist in the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra. She also teaches private clarinet lessons and adjudicates the Virginia Central Highlands All-Area Honor Band auditions.

Petzold looks forward to combining her myriad of interests with her ongoing study and support of music after she graduates in May.