Overview
Rachelle Goter, teaches clarinet at Wichita State University, is a clarinetist with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, principal clarinetist with the Wichita Grand Opera, and Ballet Wichita, and clarinetist with the Lieurance Woodwind Quintet. In addition, Goter has performed with the Ad Astra Clarinet Quartet, comprised of Kansas collegiate clarinet professors and was principal clarinetist with the Wichita Wind Ensemble Professional Band for seven years. As a member of Ad Astra, she has performed at the International Clarinet Association’s Clarinetfest, Midwest Clarinetfest, KMEA, and various universities in the US. A versatile performer, Ms. Goter is known for captivating programming and performances. She has been lauded for the excitement and beauty that she brings to her performances that are both soulful and dynamic.
Ms. Goter’s broad teaching career has included teaching at the collegiate level, teaching band in the public schools, and teaching private clarinet lessons at all levels. Most recently, she has founded two new groups, the Wichita Clarinet Ensemble and the WSU Sunflower State High School Honor Clarinet Choir. Ms. Goter is known for her innovative, passionate, and positive teaching style.
Goter’s collegiate teaching career has included teaching clarinet at Friends University for nineteen years where she taught applied clarinet, clarinet literature, clarinet pedagogy, coached clarinet ensembles, and performed with the Tower Wind Quintet. With the Tower Wind Quintet, she has performed at KMEA, the Sandzen Concert Series, KMTA, and has given numerous performances and clinics at schools across the state.
In addition to her university teaching, Ms. Goter taught band for fifteen years at all levels in the public schools and was awarded Mu Phi’s Outstanding Young Bandmaster in 2000. She has also conducted performances at KMEA and Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. Goter was inducted into Mu Phi’s Honorary Band Fraternity in 2007. Goter is a sought-after clinician and has given clinics at Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium, Kansas Music Educators Association conference, Kansas Bandmaster’s Conference and Wichita Public Schools as well as numerous clinics in high schools across Kansas.
As a private clarinet teacher, Ms. Goter has taught for thirty years and counting. Her students have won numerous solo competitions, have held principal chairs in All State performing groups, the Wichita Youth Symphony, and the Wichita Wind Ensembles and have won solo competitions with these groups. Four of her students have assisted her in giving clinics at the Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium, KBA, and for Wichita Public Schools. Ms. Goter’s students have placed first and second in the Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium Young Artist Competition and have played in masterclasses given by Mitchell Lurie, Julia Heinen, Robert Spring, Stanley Hasty, Jon Manasse, Eddie Daniels, Ricardo Morales, Mary Alice Druhan and Larry Guy.
A frequent soloist, Goter has been a guest with such groups such as the Wichita State University Wind Ensemble, Wichita State University Orchestra, the Knob Festival, Friends University Symphonic Band, Friends University Orchestra and Jazz Band, the Friends University Chamber Orchestra, Wichita Wind Ensemble Professional Band, Wichita Children’s Choir, Friends University Community Orchestra, the KCDA Women’s Honor Choir, and most recently the Great Plains Composition Workshop.
Goter has performed and studied both locally and abroad. Ms. Goter performed in the Alpenkammermusik Festival in Liesing, Austria in 2016 featuring performances of Reger’s Clarinet Quintet, John Mackey’s Breakdown Tango, Piazzola’s Oblivion, and selections from Mozart’s Magic Flute. In addition, Ms. Goter was selected as a performer/participant in the Clarinet Summit taught by famed teacher and pedagogue, Kalmen Opperman, and world-renowned clarinet soloist, Richard Stolzman. She also attended the Clarinet Teaching Workshop at Indiana University featuring the teaching of pedagogue and author, Howard Klug. Recently, Goter was a featured performer at Chamber Music at the Barn and performed a solo performance with string quartet (featuring Dr. Timothy Jones, Catherine Consiglio, Dr. Leonid Shukaev, and student Angelo de Mello) for the 2022 International Clarinet Association’s national conference in Reno/Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Ms. Goter obtained her BME and her MM in Clarinet Performance at Wichita State University. Her teachers have included Dr. James Jones, Dr. Suzanne Tirk, Jay Steinberg, Jeff Pelischek, with additional studies with LA Philharmonic’s Burt Hara and University of Michigan clarinet professor, Chad Burrow.