About Clark Chaffee

Full Biography

Clark A. Chaffee is a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy and has earned Music Education degrees from the University of Michigan and Northern Illinois University. A two-time Nationally Certified Educator (MENC and NBPTS), he has held adjunct faculty positions at Carthage, Elgin and McHenry Colleges, National Guitar Teachers Workshops, the Illinois Summer Youth Music program, and the Music Institute of Chicago.  He is the former Vice President in charge of the Orchestra Division for the Illinois Music Educators Association. 

Clark is an active youth orchestra guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator, with publications including Rhythm Workshop and Key Shapes for Strings.  He was conductor of the Carthage College orchestra in Wisconsin. He has served as a clinician for the American String Teachers Association (at the national level and for both Illinois and Arizona), the Music Educators National Conference, the Illinois Music Educators Association, the Arizona Band & Orchestra Directors Association, and the Texas Orchestra Directors Association. Clark was named the 2011 American String Teacher's Association Illinois Classroom Teacher of the Year.

Clark made a major impact on the music education community and on the lives of thousands of students as the Director of Orchestras, Chamber Music, and Guitar at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, IL. With his educational vision and inspiring teaching style, he turned a 33-student orchestra into a multi-level, nationally recognized program with over 200 students with a large chamber music division involved in community outreach. The Stevenson High School Music Department earned recognition as one of MENC's Twelve Model Music Programs in 2006, was a two-time finalist for Grammy in the Schools, was an honoree of Those Who Excel (from ISBE), and was one of four high schools in the country in 2010 to earn the Kennedy Center Excellence in Music Education recognition.

As a performer, Clark is primarily a professional percussionist. He has studied under many excellent teachers including Paul Yancich, Jim Salmon, Charles Owen, Don Koss, and Harold Jones. Clark held the position of Principal Timpanist in the Elgin (Illinois) Symphony for 20 years. He also served as principal timpanist for the Chicago Civic Orchestra, the Rockford (IL), Hinsdale (IL), and Chandler (AZ) Symphonies and the Downers Grove Oratorio Society (IL). He performed with the Chicago Civic orchestra, the training orchestra for the Chicago Symphony and was a regular substitute timpanist in the Chicago Philharmonic—the Lyric Opera orchestra when not in the Lyric pit.

Clark's performing experience is not limited to the percussion section: he has been a baritone in the Chicago Symphony Chorus, Principal Bass in the Valley Civic Orchestra, and has worked extensively as a freelance timpanist, jazz drummer, and vocalist. Clark has appeared in various amateur orchestras and ensembles on bass, cello, viola, violin, and guitar.

Clark is currently the drummer and vocalist for the Sun City Stomperz (Trad jazz), leader, drummer and vocalist for Swing Time (featuring standards from the Great American Songbook), bassist and vocalist for Olde Folk (Traditional American folk music), principal bassist in Pro Musica Arizona (oratorio). He is the orchestra coach and a music curriculum consultant for Deer Valley School District's high schools. He is the music director and principle conductor for both the West Valley Wind Ensemble and The Surprise Pops Band. He was former principal violist and is now music director for the Sun Cities Community Orchestra. Clark has serves as clinician for ABODA (Arizona Band and Orchestra Directors Association) festivals.