Biography
Dr. Tara Scruggs earned the Doctor of Music degree in Clarinet Performance from The Florida State University, and also performs as pianist. She studied for two years as a grant recipient at the Vienna Conservatory in the class of Professor Roger Salander (former Vienna Philharmonic clarinetist). She has served as principal clarinet in several orchestras, including the the Tübinger Sinfonietta (Germany), the arcademia sinfonica (Germany), and the Vienna Conservatory Orchestra (Austria). She has extensive solo and chamber music experience as both performer and coach in Austria, Germany, and America. In 1994, she was a guest artist at the residence of the American Ambassador to Austria. She can be heard in recordings of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (GA) and the arcademia sinfonica (Germany). Her students have been notably successful, winning numerous competitions in Germany and America. In school years 2002-03 and 2003-04, 70% of her clarinet section at Leon High School in Tallahassee, Florida were members of Florida All-State Bands and Orchestras. Originally from Illinois.
Dr. Scruggs earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Western Illinois University and also studied at the University of Illinois. From 1993-2001 she taught clarinet and chamber music at the music school in Mössingen, Germany. In fall 2004, Dr. Scruggs joined the music faculty at Carson-Newman University as Instructor of Clarinet and Music Theory.