Cornerstone Academy of Clarinet

Dr. Barger founded Cornerstone Academy of Clarinet to bring university-level clarinet instruction to anyone who shares her love for all things clarinet and wants to both begin developing or fine-tune their existing clarinet skills. As Mentoring Instructor, she personally advises and supervises each of her hand-picked Cornerstone Instructors as they use her teaching styles and methods to guide their students toward Excellence in Artistry! Each instructor has studied extensively at a very advanced level with Dr. Barger at the University of Nebraska--they are "the best of the best." In addition to her instructors, Dr. Barger also interacts with all Cornerstone Academy Students. She is also available on an extremely limited basis to serve as a student's sole instructor, but space is extremely limited. All Cornerstone instructors remain consistently booked full with students, but openings regularly occur.

Dr. Elizabeth Aleksander is currently Adjunct Professor of Clarinet at Midland Lutheran College, a position she has held for three years. She recently presented two master classes and several concerts at the Universidad de Michoacan San Nicolas de Hidalgo in Morelia, Mexico. In addition, she received her Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln in 2008; this degree culminated with her doctoral document entitled, “Gustav Jenner’s Clarinet Sonata in G Major, opus 5: An Analysis and Performance Guide with Stylistic Comparison to the Clarinet Sonatas, opus 120 of His Teacher, Johannes Brahms.”

Dr. Aleksander is very active in the worldwide clarinet community having recently participated in the International Clarinet Association’s ClarinetFest®, the Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium, and Midwest ClariFest. In addition to students in her private studio and at Midland Luthern College, she has worked with clarinetists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln Southeast High School, Eastwood High School, Coconino High School, Northern Arizona University (NAU) Summer Music Camp, NAU Preparatory School, and Athens Community Music School. She maintains active memberships with the International Clarinet Association, College Music Society, Pi Kappa Lambda music honor society, and Sigma Alpha Iota women’s music fraternity.

Prior to receiving her DMA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Dr. Aleksander received a Master Music degree from Northern Arizona University and Bachelor of Music from Ohio University-Athens. She has received Honorable Mention in several competitions sponsored by the Music Teachers’ National Association and was selected as a finalist for NAU’s concerto competition. Dr. Aleksander’s clarinet teachers include Drs. Diane Barger, Michael Sullivan, Rebecca Rischin, and Professor Kevin Schempf.

Janet Hildebrand

Janet Hildebrand holds a Master of Music degree in clarinet performance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she studies with Dr. Barger and serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. Before moving to Lincoln, Ms. Hildebrand completed her Bachelor’s degree in clarinet performance at Florida State University (FSU) where she was a student of Drs. Deborah Bish and Frank Kowalsky. She has also studied clarinet with Dr. Kristina Belisle at the University of Akron. While attending school at Florida State, Ms. Hildebrand performed with various ensembles including the University Philharmonia and the FSU Wind Orchestra. She was principal clarinet of the Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra in Oberlin, Ohio for two years and was selected to perform with the 2005 Florida Music Educators Association Intercollegiate Band. In addition to playing clarinet, Ms. Hildebrand is an active member of Sigma Alpha Iota, a professional music fraternity for women.

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Currently in the final year of the Doctor of Musical Arts degree program in Clarinet Performance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Joshua Mietz is as a private clarinet instructor with the Cornerstone Academy of Clarinet. Josh performs with the UNL Wind Ensemble, University Orchestra, and UNL Symphonic band and was a founding member of UNL's Digtorum Furiosum Trio. Prior to study at the University of Nebraska, Josh enjoyed a diverse career as a clarinetist and performed with both the Missoula Symphony Orchestra as Principal Bass/E-flat Clarinetist and the Missoula Children's Theater as the Assistant Principal Clarinetist. He has also performed in numerous other chamber ensembles throughout Colorado, Montana, and Nebraska. Recent honors include publication in the March 2009 International Clarinet Associations quarterly journal, The Clarinet; election to the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society; and an Honorable Mention Award at the 2006 University of Montanas Concerto/Aria Competition.

Before studying at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with Dr. Diane Barger, Mr. Mietz earned a Master of Music degree from the University of Montana and studied with Drs. Maxine Ramey and Mary-Ann Jacobson. While in Montana he also worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and taught Applied Clarinet, Clarinet Choir, and the Language of Music. As a secondary emphasis, Josh studied conducting with Drs. Steven Bolstad, Luis Milan, and Kevin Griggs.

Prior to his study at the University of Montana, Josh taught junior high and high school band and orchestra in public schools in Colorado as well as performed with the Denver Pops Orchestra under the baton of Zina Richardson. He received a Bachelor of Music in clarinet performance in 2001 from the University of Colorado-Boulder and studied with Daniel Silver, Bil Jackson of the Colorado Symphony, Dr. Phillip Aaholm, and Allan McMurray (conducting).

In his spare time, Josh Mietz enjoys ultra-marathon running, fly-fishing, mountaineering, and is an active member of Lancaster No. 54, A.F. & A.M.

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