About Kristen
Composer
Dr. Kristen Denny-Chambers, clarinetist, teacher, composer, and founder of Clarinet Playground (clarinetplayground.com), has performed as a freelance, chamber and orchestral clarinetist in several venues including the Ameropa Chamber Music Festival in Prague, the Fort Smith Symphony, Wyoming Symphony, Longmont Symphony, Colorado Light Opera and the Tulsa Symphony. Having no formal compositional training, Kristen wrote a clarinet exercise book called "Prep Steps Before You Kroepsch" in 2016 with the goal of bridging the gap between high school and college-level clarinet methods. A few years later, Kristen began writing the "Finger Fitness Études" series and has also been writing solo and ensemble pieces for all clarinets. There are plans for many more books and pieces to come.
Kristen started out her musical experiences as a singer and sang in choirs starting at age 4. She loved creating vocal arrangements for her and her sisters to sing together. She would write out the music in her head and then teach it to her sisters by singing it to them. These were the sparks that would later reappear when she began to write clarinet music. Even now, Kristen leans on her vocal foundation and is inspired mostly by singer/songwriters.
Dr. Denny-Chambers began learning to play the clarinet later than usual - just before her 17th birthday. It was like finding her real voice. Instrumental ensembles provided the community and musical variety that felt natural and more like home to her. She believes it’s never too late to begin a new passion.
Kristen has many interests and tends to jump from one thing to another depending on how the mood strikes. She enjoys writing music, of course, teaching private lessons, performing with local groups, participating in open mic events, learning to play new instruments, going on road trips, exploring new towns and natural sights, hiking, biking, cooking, painting, reading, watching movies, and learning from people from all kinds of backgrounds. Kristen lives in Longmont, Colorado with her two children and her husband, a band instrument repairman with his own shop in Boulder.
Dr. Denny-Chambers holds degrees from the University of Tulsa, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and the University of Colorado-Boulder.