Tracey Paddock

Dr. Tracey Paddock is Principal Clarinetist of the St. Augustine Orchestra and an Adjunct Professor at Flagler College in historic St. Augustine, Florida. She is active as a chamber musician and soloist and has performed as Bass Clarinetist with the Jacksonville Civic Orchestra and as a tenor vocalist in the Epcot Candlelight Processional Cast Choir. Before moving to St. Augustine, Dr. Paddock served as a clarinetist with “The President's Own” United States Marine Band from 1998 to 2020 and retired as a Master Sergeant. During more than 21 years with the ensemble, she provided music for the President of the United States and international dignitaries and performed in concerts across the country and abroad. She appeared frequently as a soloist with both the Marine Band and Marine Chamber Orchestra and was active in chamber music. She was also deeply involved in educational outreach and served as Tour Education Outreach Coordinator during several annual national tours. Through her private studio, she has guided clarinetists toward leading music schools and professional careers. Dr. Paddock earned a Bachelor of Music from Indiana University, where she studied with James Campbell as a Herriman Clarinet Scholar. A Fulbright Grant then supported her Master of Music studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Angela Malsbury, Keith Puddy, and Richard Addison; she also participated in lessons or masterclasses with Karl Leister, Thea King, Andrew Marriner, and Gervase de Peyer. After returning to the United States, she received a Florida State University Fellowship and completed a Doctor of Music with Dr. Frank Kowalsky in 2011. Her treatise, A Biographical Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Clarinetists, is a widely cited reference and has been called “the most profoundly useful treatise on American clarinetists that exists in the world today.”

Dr. Tracey Paddock performs on the Royal Global Polaris Low C Bass clarinet and Firebird A clarinet, paired with Corbin Adjustable and Fobes barrels and a Pyne PK mouthpiece. She praises her Polaris because it "practically plays itself! It is effortless and makes a great sound." Sound is also her favorite quality of the Firebird A clarinet, which she additionally describes as a "work of art" for its physical beauty. Though she was initially only in the market for a bass clarinet, she "was blown away by the sound and ease of production of the Firebird A." She also credits her trust in former student and Royal representative Brian Corbin, who, she says, did not steer her wrong. The value of Royal extends beyond her own use: she believes it has "brought affordable high quality to students and colleagues, allowing their artistry to soar." Reflecting on her own experience, she adds, "The Polaris was my first ever personal bass clarinet and I can't imagine a smoother re-introduction."