Introduction
Hi, My name is Kristine Dizon, and my first instrument is the clarinet, which I adore. While I have been fortunate to have many opportunities, I am strongly debating leaving conducting. I've had the privilege of studying with great maestros and have come close in various auditions and opportunities.I have made it a point to state that this is the last masterclass that will help me make that decision, and I need your help. This has been a dream of mine for the past fifteen years, especially as a Filipina-American. As a child of immigrants, I know how difficult it was for my parents, facing hardships and biases, some of which I still struggle with today.The masterclass will allow me to do a deep dive into not only improving my skillset as a conductor, but also into who I am as a musician under the guidance of Sarah Ioannides. My participation in this masterclass will help me determine if there is space for people like me in the industry.With your support and donation, I will be happy to give something back in return, whether it’s wishing your loved one a 'Happy Birthday' on the clarinet, writing a series of jokes about something you care about, a poem dedicated to you, providing a copy of my book, or sharing one of my CDs. Thank you so much for considering my request.
Biography
Dr. Kristine Dizon currently serves as a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow (2024-2026) at Concordia University, Montréal. Kristine is a clarinetist, conductor, teacher, poet, writer, author, linguist, and entrepreneur. She is Founder & CEO of The Modern Artist Project and as Founder & Head Teacher of the Music & Language Learning Center, an educational organization that provides online lessons for students K-12 and adults, and co-founders of the Gran Canaria International Clarinet Festival and American Single Reed Summit.
She has taught and performed in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. She served as faculty at the Philarmonie de Paris – Projet DEMOS, the Orchestre á l’école program at the Conservatoire de Montargis, and the Minnesota Project Opera. She served as visiting faculty at the University of Saint-Joseph in Macau, China where she taught modules in sound production. She has premiered works by Nino Diaz, Agnieszka Zdrojek-Suchodolska, Nicolas Bacri, Kryštof Maratka, and Reinaldo Moya. She has also been selected to perform at ClarinetFest 2017, 2018, 2023, and 2024 organized by the International Clarinet Association.
Kristine taught masterclasses at the Fundación Sinfonia Concertante de Panama City, Komitas State University of Yerevan, Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Krakow, Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University, Paphos Conservatory of Music, and the VI Taller para Jóvenes Clarinetistas organized by Clariperu where she also directed the clarinet choir. She served as part of the international jury for the 1st Witold Friemann International Clarinet Competition, Silverstein Global Clarinet Contest, International Clarinet Competition ‘Guy Deplus’, Opus International Music Competition, and V Concurso de Bandas Escolares where she held a residency with PeruBandas and taught clarinet masterclasses in Cusco and Lima, Peru.
She recorded her debut album with concert pianist, Dr. Lindsay Garritson titled ‘An American in Paris’ which was selected for the Gold Prize from the World Classical Music Awards along as a National Finalist for the American Prize for best instrumental in the Professional Division and Semi-finalist for the ‘Ernst Bacon’ Memorial Award. She released her second album ‘Two of a Kind’ with Radovan Cavallin, principal clarinet of the Orquesta Filarmonica de Gran Canaria featuring works written for two clarinets. She recently self-published a method book ‘Achieving Virtuosity: Complete Scales & Arpeggios for the Intermediate Clarinetist’ through the Music & Language Learning Center.
She has conducted the Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester Pforzheim, Brixton Wind Ensemble, Ensemble Cambrica and served as guest conductor of the La Palma Chamber Orchestra and the Orquesta Sinfonica de Las Palmas. She served as Assistant Conductor with the Minnesota Project Opera, premiering Reinaldo Moya’s ‘Memory Boy’ and the Minnesota Youth Symphonies. She also worked with orchestras and bands at the Escola Superior de Música Artes e Espectáculo, Richfield Symphonic Band, MYS Philharmonic Orchestra, Concordia University – St. Paul Concert Band, União Filarmónica do Troviscal, and the Southern Illinois University Symphonic Band. She has participated in several workshops that include the Southwest German Chamber Orchestra with Douglas Bostock, Cardiff International Academy of Conducting with Colin Metters, Juilliard Conducting Courses Online with Mark Shapiro, Memphis Sinfonietta Conducting Workshop, Cortona New Music Conductor's Summit and the Irish Association of Youth Orchestras with Maestro Robert Houlihan.
She has published research articles, interviews, and reviews with the Journal of Science & Technology of the Arts, European Journal of American Studies, Jeunesse Young People, Texts, Cultures, and The Clarinet magazine. Notable publications include co-authoring “The Film Sound Analysis Framework: A Conceptual Tool to Interpret the Cinematic Experience” with Alvaro Barbosa. “The Clarinet Compositions of Nicolas Bacri” is an exclusive interview with the French composer about his clarinet compositions published in the Clarinet Journal along with her research on “Croatian Clarinet Concertos: The Cultivation of Traditions after 1952”, which was also accepted for the International Clarinet Association Research Competition in Orlando, Florida in 2017 and was published in the Clarinet and Saxophone. She was named a finalist for the International Clarinet Research Competition in 2014, 2017, and 2021; and finalist for the European Clarinet Congress Research Competition in 2023.
Kristine received her certificate in advanced studies in contemporary conducting at the Conservatorio Svizzera Italiana with Arturo Tamayo. Recipient of the Fundação para Ciência e Tecnologia grant, she completed her PhD at the Universidade de Catótlica Portuguesa for “Remaking: The Reshaping of Sound in Portuguese Musical Comedies.” She also holds an advanced professional certificate in Music Theory and Analysis from the Berklee College of Music, a graduate executive certificate in Social Entrepreneurship, Cultural Agency, Community Development, Organization Management, Design Thinking & Educational Leadership from the Global Leaders Institute. As a Fulbright scholar, she completed postgraduate studies at the Escola Superior de Música Artes e Espectáculo. She received her ‘Prix de perfectionnement’ from the Conservatoire de Versailles with Philippe Cuper and ‘Diplome de direction d’orchestre’ from École Normale de Musique de Paris. She holds a master’s degree in clarinet performance from Southern Illinois University and Bachelor of Arts degree double majoring in European History and Music.
She performs on Uebel Clarinets, Silverstein Works Ligatures, and Vandoren BD5D mouthpiece.
