James E. Rutledge is currently pursuing a Master of Music in clarinet performance at the University of Michigan where he studies under Daniel Gilbert and Chad Burrow. He received his Bachelor of Music in clarinet performance degree (cum laude) at Tennessee Technological University, where he studied under Mark J. Cramer, Jacqueline Eichhorn, and Wonkak Kim. During his undergraduate studies, Mr. Rutledge performed with the Bryan Symphony Orchestra in Cookeville, Tennessee, where he served as second and utility clarinet from 2015-2019 and performed numerous staples in the orchestral repertoire such as Beethoven’s fifth symphony, Alexander Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances from “Prince Igor,” and Giacomo Puccini’s La Boheme just to name a few. In 2017, Mr. Rutledge was awarded the Captain William Anderson Endowment of Music through the Bryan Symphony Orchestra for his demonstration of musical excellence with the orchestra. As a soloist and chamber musician, Mr. Rutledge has received honors and awards. In 2019, he was awarded an honorable mention in the Joan Derryberry Memorial Concerto Competition at Tennessee Technological University, placed as a finalist in the Nashville Philharmonic Concerto Competition in 2018, and was selected as the state winner for the Music Teacher’s National Association’s Young Artist Competition in 2018, and his woodwind trio The Picardy Third placed second in the Music Teacher’s National Association’s Chamber Group Competition in 2018. In the winter of 2019, Mr. Rutledge co-founded the Ventus Reed Quintet where he served as bass clarinetist until his graduation from Tennessee Technological University. In addition to his orchestral and chamber group performances, Mr. Rutledge served as the principal clarinetist in the Wind Ensemble and Symphony Band at Tennessee Technological University and now performs regularly with the University of Michigan Symphony Band…James E. Rutledge is currently pursuing a Master of Music in clarinet performance at the University of Michigan where he studies under Daniel Gilbert and Chad Burrow. He received his Bachelor of Music in clarinet performance degree (cum laude) at Tennessee Technological University, where he studied under Mark J. Cramer, Jacqueline Eichhorn, and Wonkak Kim. During his undergraduate studies, Mr. Rutledge performed with the Bryan Symphony Orchestra in Cookeville, Tennessee, where he served as second and utility clarinet from 2015-2019 and performed numerous staples in the orchestral repertoire such as Beethoven’s fifth symphony, Alexander Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances from “Prince Igor,” and Giacomo Puccini’s La Boheme just to name a few. In 2017, Mr. Rutledge was awarded the Captain William Anderson Endowment of Music through the Bryan Symphony Orchestra for his demonstration of musical excellence with the orchestra. As a soloist and chamber musician, Mr. Rutledge has received honors and awards. In 2019, he was awarded an honorable mention in the Joan Derryberry Memorial Concerto Competition at Tennessee Technological University, placed as a finalist in the Nashville Philharmonic Concerto Competition in 2018, and was selected as the state winner for the Music Teacher’s National Association’s Young Artist Competition in 2018, and his woodwind trio The Picardy Third placed second in the Music Teacher’s National Association’s Chamber Group Competition in 2018. In the winter of 2019, Mr. Rutledge co-founded the Ventus Reed Quintet where he served as bass clarinetist until his graduation from Tennessee Technological University. In addition to his orchestral and chamber group performances, Mr. Rutledge served as the principal clarinetist in the Wind Ensemble and Symphony Band at Tennessee Technological University and now performs regularly with the University of Michigan Symphony BandWWWW…