About
Blake Arrington is a clarinetist with The United States Air Force Concert Band in Washington, D.C. He is also the Bass and E-flat Clarinetist with the McLean Orchestra and the Arlington Philharmonic in Virginia. Prior to joining the Air Force in 2006, he was the Principal Bass & E-flat clarinetist with the Irving Symphony Orchestra in Irving, Texas. Blake has performed with the Plano Symphony Orchestra in Plano, Texas, and also served as the Principal Clarinet with Opera in the Ozarks.
Blake attended The University of Central Arkansas from 1997-2000. While there, he earned a Travel Abroad Grant and Undergraduate Research Grant for Education that allowed him to study at Le Domaine Forget Music and Dance Academy in Quebec, Canada. He graduated cum laude from The University of North Texas, earning a BM in 2002 and a MM in 2004. While at UNT, he performed in the UNT Wind Symphony & Symphony Orchestra and can be heard on twelve recordings from Klavier Records. In May 2011, Blake was awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from The Catholic University of America. Blake's teachers include Kristina Belisle, Kelly Johnson, John Scott, Gregory Raden and Eugene Mondie.
While at Catholic University, his doctoral research focused on American composer William Bolcom's Clarinet Concerto. This research led to Blake commissioning the wind band transcription of this concerto. The work received its world premiere on March 20, 2015, with Blake as soloist with The Troy University Symphony Band under the direction of Dr. Mark Walker.
As an educator, Blake was the Adjunct Instructor of Clarinet at Southeastern Oklahoma State University from 2004-2006. He has given masterclasses throughout the United States including workshops at the University of North Texas, Rutgers University, The University of Central Arkansas, Troy University, and Clarinetfests in 2013 and 2016. His time in Texas also led to a successful studio of All-State clarinetists from the Coppell, Texas Independent School District. He currently teaches throughout the Northern Virginia area. His students have become music scholarship students at Indiana University, The University of North Texas, and other schools throughout the US.
Blake continues to garner attention for his instrument repair expertise in his capacity as the owner/operator of JBA Woodwinds. He studied repair with Ann MacMillan at the University of North Texas, Mark Jacobi in Philadelphia, and flute repair with David Straubinger. Blake repairs instruments for members of the National Symphony, D.C area military bands, and musicians throughout the country.