Clarinet
A “clarinet maverick” (Time Out New York), Cory Tiffin is currently the Principal Clarinetist for the
Las Vegas Philharmonic. Previous positions include Principal Clarinet of Green Bay Symphony,
and Performing Member of the Chicago Philharmonic. He won his first position in an orchestra
at 23 years old, playing second clarinet in the Illinois Symphony.
Cory regularly performs with the San Francisco Symphony and Oakland Symphony, having also
performed with the Grant Park Music Festival Orchestra, Kalamazoo Symphony, the California
Symphony, and dozens of other orchestras across the country. Summer festival appearances
include performing as Principal Clarinet with the New Hampshire, Mendocino, Bear Valley, and
Music in the Mountains festival orchestras.
Hailed for his “understated virtuosity” (Chicago Classical Review), Cory has given recitals with
the Grammy Award-winning Chicago Chamber Musicians and the Grammy-nominated Lincoln
Trio and both curated and performed on numerous programs on Chicago’s WFMT-FM. He has
been a featured soloist multiple times with both the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra and the
Las Vegas Philharmonic. A champion of new music, he collaborated with some of the USA’s
leading new music ensembles, such as Fulcrum Point New Music Project, Left Coast Chamber
Ensemble, Access Contemporary Music, and the University of Chicago’s New Music Ensemble.
He founded and ran the eclectic Anaphora Ensemble for several years in Chicago and has
commissioned chamber music by some of today’s leading composers.
Cory received his Bachelor’s in Music from DePaul University. His primary teachers include
Larry Combs, Julie Deroche, and Wagner Campos in addition to coachings and masterclasses
with Stephen Williamson, Carey Bell, Yehuda Gilad, and many others. As an educator, Cory has
been on the faculties of the University of Chicago, DePaul University, Loyola University,
University of Nevada Las Vegas, and Chabot Community College. He can be heard on the
Southport and Albany record labels. When away from the clarinet, Cory loves to spend time with
his wife and son, especially during family hikes, camping trips, and beach days.
Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, Alessandro holds the second clarinet position with the Las Vegas Philharmonic. He is also an active freelance musician and educator in the Chicago area and the Midwest. Alessandro’s notable performances include guest principal clarinet for the Lake County Symphony Orchestra tour with the World Ballet Company’s production of Tchaikowsky’s Swan Lake. He has also performed with the West Michigan Symphony, Quad Cities Symphony, Rockford Symphony Orchestra, and Chicago Clarinet Ensemble under the direction of John Bruce Yeh. Early in his musical career Alessandro was an Associate Member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago where he performed under Ken David Masur’s baton. A passionate advocate for New Music, Alessandro performs regularly with the Chicago Composers Orchestra, which exclusively features music from living composers. He has participated in multiple world premiers. Alessandro is a versatile musician who embraces all genres. He is comfortable playing all members of the clarinet family and often performs on Eb and bass clarinets. He plays clarinet and saxophone with the rock and blues band Peaceful Dragon. Every summer, he joins the Wheaton Municipal Band and has performed with them at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and at the prestigious Midwest International Band and Orchestra Convention in Chicago. Dedicated to teaching and educational outreach, Alessandro was an adjunct instructor at Illinois Wesleyan University. He has also been an instructor at Birch Creek Music Performance Center. Currently, he teaches at Harper College Community Music Division and is the clarinet instructor at the Illinois Math and Science Academy and Midwest Music Academy. He also maintains a private clarinet studio. Alessandro earned his BM and MM from DePaul University, studying under Julie DeRoche, Larry Combs, Stephen Williamson, and Wagner Campos. He also studied with Kathryne Pirtle, founding member of Orion Ensemble.
Born in Chicago, Carmen Izzo has been heard in a variety of concert halls across the country and internationally. He currently serves as Principal Clarinet of the Boise Philharmonic and Assistant Principal/Bass Clarinet of the Las Vegas Philharmonic. Additionally, Carmen serves as adjunct clarinet instructor at The College of Idaho and Northwest Nazarene University.
In 2018, Carmen was a guest artist for the Matsumoto Performing Arts Center’s full production of Stravinsky’s “L’Histoire du Soldat,” touring Japan under the auspices of director Kazuyoshi Kushida. Previously, Carmen has served as Principal Clarinet of the Central City Opera Orchestra, and Guest Principal Clarinet of the Auckland Philharmonia in Auckland, New Zealand. From 2011 until 2014, Carmen was Co-Principal Clarinet of the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra in Nishinomiya, Japan. During this time, he performed over 100 concerts annually with a group of internationally selected young professionals. He was selected by Artistic Director Yutaka Sado to appear in recital in 2014 and has been seen numerous times on television in the classical music program “Daimei no Nai Ongakukai”.
Carmen has served as a guest player with the Pacific Symphony, Quad Cities Symphony, Music of the Baroque, Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra, Kyushu Symphony Orchestra, Macao Orchestra, Sun Valley Summer Symphony, and Virginia Symphony. At the 2008 ClarinetFest, Carmen was the winner of the International Clarinet Association’s annual Orchestral Audition Competition. From 2006 until 2008, Carmen was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Carmen received his Master of Music degree from the University of Southern California and his Bachelor of Music from DePaul University. His primary teachers include Julie DeRoche, Yehuda Gilad and Larry Combs.