Clarinet & E-flat Clarinet
Patricia DiLutis began studying the clarinet when she was 10 years old. Growing up in San Antonio, Texas, most of her musical experience was in the marching band. It was not until she auditioned for the Youth Orchestra as an oboe player that she discovered the symphony orchestra. From that moment on, her pursuit of a career in music was all-consuming. She received a scholarship to Boston University where she studied the clarinet under Harold Wright, Kalmen Opperman and Pasquale Cardillo; however, she credits all her knowledge of the instrument to the late David Weber who was principal clarinet of the NBC Symphony Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini.
DiLutis has held postions in the San Antonio Symphony, Syracuse Symphony, Austin Sinfonietta, Laredo Philharmonic and currently in the Buffalo Philharmonic. She has also performed with the Rochester Philharmonic, Austin Symphony, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, Nuevo Laredo Philharmonic and Ensemble Intercontemporain under the direction of David Robertson. She has performed at the Round Top Festival in Texas and toured as principal clarinet of the Bolshoi Ballet Orchestra. You can also hear her in old recordings of the cartoon Smurfs.
As a teacher, Patricia has served as guest faculty at many colleges and universities in the United States and Mexico, including Trinity University, the Eastman School of Music and Ithaca College. Until 2008, she conducted a clarinet ensemble at the Eastman School of Music comprised of 21 senior citizens. She has traveled throughout the United States and Mexico, giving recitals and master classes. Patti DiLutis is an artist for Buffet Crampon and plays exclusively on Buffet instruments.