Clarinetist Jen Guzmán's mission is to guide and support others to discover their self-worth so that they are empowered to positively change the world through deliberate action. Jen is the newly appointed Denton Program Director for Texas Winds Musical Outreach, a non-profit that engages, comforts and celebrates the spirits of isolated seniors, hospital patients, veterans and children in North Texas through live, professional musical performances. She also founded and managed Clarinetists for a Cause, a community outreach group based in Denton, Texas that benefits local charities through performance.

 

In addition to nonprofit work, Jen and her husband, saxophonist and repair technician Tony Barrette, recently opened a woodwind and brass repair and retail store in downtown Denton called TB Winds. Jen also works in academia as the Adjunct Instructor of Clarinet at Southeastern Oklahoma State University.

 

As a recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Student in Woodwinds Award at the University of North Texas (UNT), Ms. Guzmán has performed in New York with Itzhak Perlman, and at Carnegie Hall with the New York Youth Symphony. Jen served as an arts administration intern at both the New York Philharmonic and The Juilliard School, and currently works in development at the Perlman Music Program.

 

In addition to standard repertoire, Jen believes in performing the music of living composers and has performed works by Eric Mandat, Michael Daugherty, and Gregory Wanamaker at events and festivals including the Potsdam Clarinet Summit, Midwest Clinic, and World Saxophone Congress.

 

While completing a bachelor’s degree in music education at the Crane School of Music, Jen had the opportunity to teach folk songs, recorder, and Afro-Caribbean drumming to elementary aged students in Boston Bay, Jamaica with the Jamaica Field Service Project.  She holds a master of music degree in clarinet performance from UNT.

 

As a recipient of the competitive Robert B. Toulouse Fellowship at UNT, Jen recently completed a doctor of musical arts degree in clarinet performance with a related field in music entrepreneurship. In her role as Music Entrepreneurship Teaching Fellow, Jen empowers undergraduate musicians to build and launch fulfilling and financially sustainable musical careers through a music entrepreneurship class.