Originally from a small town outside of Minneapolis, dedicated clarinet performer and educator Dr. Amelia Smith has taught and performed across the United States and abroad. She is currently Clarinet Lecturer at the Fresno State School of Music, Adjunct Instructor at Fresno City College and has previously taught at the University of Mississippi.

In addition to her teaching, Smith is a prize-winning performer who has enjoyed national and international opportunities. She performs regularly with the Fresno Philharmonic, Orchestra Santa Monica, and Sequoia Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra, and in masterclass with members of the Mozarteum Orchestra, performing the Mozart Clarinet Quintet. Her soloist appearances include invitations to perform the Mozart Clarinet Concerto with the Sinfonietta Orchestra of Memphis, the Copland Clarinet Concerto with musicians from USC’s Thornton School of Music, Scott McAllister’s Black Dog with the Clovis North High School Wind Ensemble, and the Cimarosa Concerto with the Fresno City College String Ensemble.

Dr. Smith is an avid educator, having taught in various programs across the country. While living in LA, she is proud to have taught at Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA), an El Sistema-inspired program funded by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. As YOLA Inglewood’s first Clarinet Teaching Artist, she not only cultivated student’s musical skills but also fostered a strong sense of community. In addition to Fresno State and Fresno City College, she is proud to currently serve as the clarinet coach at Clovis West and Clovis North high schools, Granite Ridge OIntermediate, and maintains a private studio in Fresno.

An activist committed to social justice through music, Dr. Smith believes in the transformative power of visibility and education at all levels. Her interest and past performances include living female works including flute and piano: Gabriela Lena Frank’s Amadeoso for flute, clarinet and piano with David Ramirez, flute and Matthew Harikian, piano, Asha Srinivasan’s Bapu for flute, clarinet and electronics (with Delara Hashemi at ClarinetFest©2024), Yunfei Li’s HotPot Suite for solo clarinet at the ACMI conference and a newly-commissioned work Urban Pulse for flute, clarinet and piano written by SiHyun Uhm. Urban Pulse was written for and performed by Trio Hana, CA-based trio comprising Deanna Pyeon (flute) and Matthew Harikian (piano) in Incheon, South Korea at ClarinetFest©2026.

Smith holds degrees from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University (BM), the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities (DMA). Her former instructors include Howard Klug, Dr. Robyn Jones, Alexander Fiterstein and Timothy Zavadil.