BIOGRAPHY

Diana Ruffer is a versatile freelance clarinetist based in Pittsburgh, PA, with a rich and diverse performance career. She has had the privilege of performing with esteemed ensembles such as the Pittsburgh Symphony, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Richmond Symphony, Boston Philharmonic, and Virginia Symphony Orchestra, among others. Diana is also a founding member of The Phoenix Orchestra and Hub New Music. Her performances have taken her to prestigious venues including Jordan Hall, Symphony Hall in Boston, the Shalin Liu Performance Center, Sanders Theater, The Belk Theater, and the Ferguson Center for the Arts.

Diana has shared the stage with renowned artists like Andrea Bocelli, Maria Dueñas, Erika Henningsen and Byron Stripling, and worked with celebrated conductors such as Hugh Wolff, Robert Spano, Michael Tilson Thomas, Valentina Peleggi, and James Mena. As a soloist, she has performed with the York River Symphony Orchestra and was the winner of the Young Artist Competition with the Union Symphony. Diana has earned accolades in competitions like the Brookline Symphony and the Philharmonic Society of Arlington and was featured at the Single Reed Symposium at Pennsylvania State University and the Christopher Newport University Clarinet Symposium.

A passionate advocate for chamber music, Diana has performed multiple times at the Rockport Chamber Music Festival and enjoys collaborating with fellow musicians in diverse settings. She is also dedicated to teaching, maintaining a private studio where she nurtures students of all ages. Additionally, she regularly offers masterclasses and lectures along the East Coast. Diana holds a Bachelor of Music from the Boston Conservatory and a Master of Music from the New England Conservatory, having studied under John Sadak, Michael Norsworthy, and Richard Stoltzman.

When she's not performing or teaching, Diana enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and husband, as well as playing with her two doodle pups.