Biography

Originally from Houston, TX, Ms. Winkler is an avid performer and teacher in the Chicago area. She most recently joined the Naperville Winds as an active performing member, and frequently appears in local ensembles such as the West Suburban Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Winkler has advanced in several auditions for top American ensembles such as the Pershing’s Own Army Band, the President’s Own Marine Band, and the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra. Outside of the West Suburban Symphony, she served as principal clarinet in the Brevard Opera’s performance of Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, as well as principal second in the Brevard Sinfonia’s performance of Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloéand Stravinsky’s Firebird. She has also performed principal clarinet on many notable works, including Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6, Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra, Smetana’s Má Vlast, and Respighi’s Fontane di Roma. As a soloist, she has performed with the St. Anne Salon Series, Buffet Crampon Summer Clarinet Academy, Hidden Valley Music Seminars, the Brevard Music Center, Northwestern University and the University of Houston. She was a prize winner in the Buffet Crampon Student Showcase for her performance of Heinrich Sutermeister’s Capriccio for Solo Clarinet, and a semi-finalist in the Jan and Beattie Wood Concerto Competition for her performance of Carl Maria von Weber’s Concerto No. 2 Movement 3.

 

When she is not performing, Ms. Winkler enjoys inspiring her students to reach new heights in their music making abilities. She currently teaches privately at Downers Grove South High School and Central Middle School, where her students range from complete beginners to advanced high school students. Ms. Winkler is a sought after clinician, having given masterclasses at Westview Middle, Westmont Junior High, Westmont High School, Lincoln-Way East High School, Lincoln-Way West High School, Lincoln-Way Central High School, Downers Grove South High School, and Lisle Senior High School. Ms. Winkler has also taught independently as a private lesson instructor and clinician across Houston, giving beginner masterclasses and clinics in Deer Park ISD, Splendora ISD, Cy Fair ISD, and Goose Creek Consolidated ISD.

 

Ms. Winkler is currently an Order Processing Specialist at Lisa’s Clarinet Shop, where she helps coordinate clarinet trials, sales, and aids in the selection and color-banding of clarinets. She has also participated in the 2023 & 2024 Brevard Music Center Summer Festival as an Assistant Dean, where she supervised high school and college music students to ensure that their experience remained positive and full of lasting memories. 

 

Ms. Winkler’s primary teachers include Carrie Smith, Chester Rowell, Mark Nuccio, Steve Cohen, and Stephen Williamson. She received her Master of Music Degree from Northwestern University in 2023 and her Bachelors of Music Degree from the University of Houston in 2020.

 

Outside of music, Ms. Winkler enjoys reading and spending time with her cat Fluffy.