Clarinet
Clarinetist and conductor Joe Dieker is excited to bring his 40+ years of teaching and
performance experience to Music Works Iowa. He moved to Iowa in 2010 when he was
appointed Dean of Cornell College and Professor of Music. Before coming to Iowa he taught music at colleges in Missouri and Oregon. Since his retirement from full-time work at Cornell in Fall 2021, he continues to teach clarinet students of all ages and perform. Lessons with Joe are filled with energy, enthusiasm, and a sense of humor as he guides students to strengthen their playing skills and musicianship.
Joe’s performance experience includes serving as principal clarinetist of the Quincy (Illinois) Symphony Orchestra for 15 years and appearing as a soloist with several orchestras and bands. He has performed in numerous recitals and concerts on the Cornell campus and in venues in the Midwest and West Coast. As a conductor, he directed collegiate ensembles, the Quincy Illinois Area Youth Orchestra, and was a guest conductor with many bands and orchestras.
Joe earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in applied music from Warner Pacific College, a Master of Music degree in clarinet performance from the University of Oregon, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in instrumental music from Arizona State University. Joe and his wife Mary–a well-known piano teacher in the area–reside in Mount Vernon, Iowa. They have two adult daughters and a grandson who is learning the piano and clarinet.
Music Works Iowa 