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Dr. Shandra Helman
Assistant Professor of Music
Woodwind Area Coordinator
Telephone: (208) 282-3024
E-mail: helmsha2@isu.edu
Websites: Helman Music • Ensemble Périphérie • Rico Reeds
Degrees
- B.Mus. 2000, Lawrence University
- M.A. 2004, University of Iowa
- D.M.A. 2008, University of Wisconsin
Joined ISU Faculty in 2008.
Profile
Dr. Shandra Helman is Assistant Professor of Clarinet & Saxophone and Woodwind Area Coordinator at Idaho State University. She is also contracted as the 3rd/Bass Clarinet of the Boise Philharmonic and the Principal Clarinet of the Idaho State-Civic Symphony, and was selected as a finalist in the 2012 Orchestral Audition Competition for the International Clarinet Association Conference. Her extensive orchestral experience includes performances on clarinet and bass clarinet with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, Madison Opera and Ballet companies, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Green Bay Symphony Orchestra, Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra, and the American Wind Symphony.
Shandra has taught applied clarinet and saxophone and served as the Woodwind Area Coordinator at Idaho State University since August 2008. She is a founding member of the ISU faculty woodwind quintet, City Creek Winds, who recently enjoyed their first performance tour of southern Idaho. Shandra’s academic course rotation includes core surveys of music history; woodwind methods; instrumental pedagogy; clarinet/saxophone pedagogy and literature; and advanced music history seminars. Her ongoing research and performance endeavors include a bass clarinet specialty; analysis of the ever-expanding amount of published bass clarinet repertoire; saxophone chamber music; and saxophone pedagogical methods.
In June 2010, she became the core clarinetist/bass clarinetist of Ensemble: Périphérie, a new music chamber group focused on commissioning, performing and recording works by lesser-known composers. E:P is currently looking forward to a second performance tour of the Midwest in March 2013 and a Carnegie Hall debut in Fall 2013.
Her primary instructors include Linda Bartley (DMA, University of Wisconsin-Madison), Maurita Murphy Mead (MA, University of Iowa), Fan Lei (BM, Lawrence University), and Melvin Warner (private study, Northern Illinois University). Shandra has also participated in additional studies with Kalmen Opperman and Kenneth Grant, and master classes with Steve Hanusofski, Lee Livengood, Elsa Ludewig Verdehr, Richard Stoltzman, and Patrick O’Keefe.
Shandra has been a Rico Artist for bass clarinet reeds since May 2011. She currently resides in Pocatello, Idaho with husband and horn player, Michael, and their three cats, Gracie, Hattie, and Maddie.