Marianne Shifrin was appointed Principal Clarinet of the Arkansas Symphony in 2024. She is also Principal Clarinet of the New Mexico Philharmonic and a member of the Arizona Opera Orchestra. Marianne has previously served as Acting Bass and Utility Clarinet with the Colorado Symphony, and Acting Principal of the El Paso Symphony. Additionally, she has held positions with the Greeley Philharmonic (CO), the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, and was a fellow with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.

A frequent extra and substitute musician with orchestras around the Southwest and Western US, she has performed as guest principal with the Phoenix, Tucson, and Santa Fe Symphonies, Opera Southwest, the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, and the Colorado Ballet Orchestra. During the summer, Marianne performs with the Missouri Symphony, and she joined the Artosphere Festival Orchestra in Fayetteville, AR for ten summers. In the summer of 2024, she was the Bass Clarinetist with the Central City Opera Orchestra.

Marianne has performed as soloist with the New Mexico Philharmonic, and serves as the clarinetist with the August Winds, a Dallas based wind quintet. Other chamber music appearances include the Phoenix Winter Chamber Music Festival, Albuquerque’s Chatter Series, and the International Double Reed Society Conference. Dedicated to music education, she has taught at the elementary, middle school, high school, and college level in schools and programs around the country.

Marianne received her Bachelor of Music Degree and a Performer Diploma from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and her Master of Music degree from Yale University. As a student, she performed at the Music Academy of the West, and the Aspen, Sarasota, Chautauqua, and Bowdoin music festivals. Her primary teachers include Eli Eban, David Shifrin, and Bil Jackson.