Sunshine Simmons

Sunshine Simmons serves as Associate Professor of Clarinet at the University of North Florida, maintaining an active dual career as both educator and performer. Her orchestral credentials span major ensembles including the Chicago Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Santa Fe Opera, and Lyric Opera Orchestra, alongside chamber collaborations with eighth blackbird, St Lawrence String Quartet, and festivals like Aspen and Spoleto.

Her academic foundation includes advanced degrees from:

• Carnegie Mellon University
• Northwestern University

Artistic research centers on clarinet performance practice across orchestral, chamber, and solo contexts, with specialized focus on bass clarinet literature. Her debut recording Discovery: Recital Music for Bass Clarinet and Piano exemplifies this niche expertise. Pedagogical contributions manifest through nationwide masterclasses and lectures at institutions including Arizona State University and Ball State University.

Global engagement defines her profile: solo appearances at Chile's Frutillar Music Festival, radio broadcasts of Copland's Clarinet Concerto in Romania, collaborations with Kyoto City University of Arts, and recitals in Belgium under the International Clarinet Association.