School of Music, Theatre
and Dance

Varner Hall, Room 207
371 Varner Drive
Rochester, MI 48309-4485
(location map)
Academic Office: (248) 370-2030
Box Office: (248) 370-3013
Fax: (248) 370-2041
[email protected]

George Stoffan

Man in suit holding clarinet

Associate Professor of Music, Clarinet
Coordinator of Winds & Strings
Chamber Music, Clarinet Ensemble

Contact: [email protected]
(248) 370-2038


Clarinetist George Stoffan is a Fulbright Scholar, having won awards to the Czech Republic and Hungary.  He presented  recitals and researched Hungarian works for clarinet at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, in the fall of 2019, and served as an artist-in-residence at the Janáček Academy of Music in Brno, in the fall of 2012.  He is currently preparing two articles about clarinet traditions in Hungary for the The Clarinet. The journal also published a two-part article on musical life in the Czech Republic, based on his residency there.  Recent performances featuring new Hungarian works include a December 2019 chamber recital at the Liszt Museum in Budapest.  Performances of Czech works include a 2018 recital in Prague as a part of the “Night of Churches” Festival of Music, a recital performance at the 2018 International Clarinet Association Conference in Ostend, Belgium, and a performance at the 2018 National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors Conference in Vancouver, Canada.  He performed his Bohemian Gems, a program of newer and lesser-known Czech works for clarinet, in recital at the Czech Cultural Center in New York City and at the Lawrence House Centre for the Arts Concert Series in Sarnia, Canada, at the College Music Society National Conference in St. Louis, and at its Midwest Regional Conference at Michigan State University.  His recording, A Postcard from Europe, featuring contemporary Czech and Hungarian clarinet music, in addition to Brahms’ Sonata No. 2, Op. 120, in E-flat Major, was characterized by the Detroit Free Press as benefiting from “Stoffan’s warm expression and confident attack,” and The Clarinet cited “Stoffan’s performance of the Brahms with technical ease and great expression of the works, warm, passionate lines.”  

Stoffan is currently Principal Clarinetist of the Oakland Symphony Orchestra.  He was previously Principal Clarinetist and Concertmaster of the United States Air Force Band in Washington D.C.  With this ensemble, he performed in eight national tours.  He appeared as soloist on several occasions, and performed in fourteen recordings, some of which are available on the Naxos label.  In addition, Mr. Stoffan has performed in recital at International Clarinet Association Conferences in Ostend, Belgium, Kansas City, Atlanta, and College Park, MD.  Other conference performances include those at the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors conference at the University of Florida, and Czech-Slovak National Music Conference at Grand Valley State University.  Mr. Stoffan is currently the Michigan State Chair of the International Clarinet Association.    

Before joining the faculty at Oakland University, Mr. Stoffan taught clarinet at Southern Utah University. He has also served on the faculties of Duke Ellington School of the Arts and the Washington Conservatory of Music in Washington D.C.  He was appointed to the faculty at New England Music Camp in the summer of 2015, and continues to serve on the faculty.  You can read more about the camp here and watch an NEMC video here

He holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Clarinet Performance and Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Michigan, a Master of Music in Clarinet Performance from Indiana University, and a DMA in Clarinet Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Listen to Dr. Stoffan perform: