Chris Mothersole knows a thing or two about the clarinet. He’s played in just about every imaginable setting and has even electrified and distorted the woodwind. 

As part of the Michael and Andrea Stone Visiting Artist Series, however, Mothersole and University of West Georgia Wind Ensemble conductor Josh Byrd will discuss the rigors of playing an extended concerto from their perspectives, offering the audience an inside look at the shear amount of talent, hard work and preparation that go into such a monumental musical collaboration. 

Titled “The Clarinet Diaries,” this event, jointly sponsored by UWG’s School of the Arts and the music program, will take place in the Dangle Theater of the Townsend Center on Wednesday, April 12, at 6 p.m. Audience members will be given the opportunity not just to hear some of that concerto up close but also to understand, from the player’s and conductor’s points of view, what makes it all tick. 

And there are few people better equipped to do this work. 

“Chris is an incredible talent,” said Byrd. “He is not just going to play this concerto; he’s going to perform it.” 

Byrd added that the way Mothersole “combines his abilities with his passion for music is a joy to watch.”

For those interested in hearing the finished concerto – John Mackey’s “Divine Mischief” – Mothersole will perform the piece with Byrd and the UWG Wind Ensemble, on Wednesday, April 19, at the Carroll County Schools Performing Arts Center.

“The Clarinet Diaries” is free and open to the public through the generous support of Michael and Andrea Stone, whose commitment to the university and the Carrollton community spans some 10 years and includes this visiting-artist series endowment, multiyear commitments to the music program, an executive-in-residence event, and a named flex-space in the new Richards College of Business building, Richards Hall. The School of the Arts and the music program are proud to partner with the Stones and the Milestone Investment Management team and believe that both business and the arts thrive together.