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Nathan Kock
Clarinet

Nathan Vilhena Kock aspires to serve as a multifaceted musician and educator in various capacities. Described as resilient, high-energy—"walks as if he is 5 minutes late to everything"—and passionate in everything he does, he began his musical journey practicing the saxophone and clarinet until the late hours of the night in his restroom. In 2021, he completed his Bachelor's Degrees in Music Education and Clarinet Performance at the University of North Texas, under the tutelage of Kimberly Cole Luevano, Greg Rayden, and Deborah Fabian. In 2023, he completed his Master's Degree in Clarinet Performance at Northwestern University, where he studied with Steve Cohen, Marc Nuccio, Stephen Williamson, and Todd Levy.

While at UNT, Nathan performed with the North Texas Wind Symphony and Symphony Orchestra and was named a finalist in the 2019 International Clarinet Association Young Artist Competition. He can be heard on various YouTube recordings of the North Texas Wind Symphony. To finish off a well-rounded undergraduate experience, Nathan served as a student teacher in Fort Worth, TX, and was a recipient for the 2021 TMEA Student Teacher Scholarship. His essay was selected to be published in their monthly magazine issue, entitled Southwestern Musician. He spent the following summer studying at the Minnesota Clarinet Academy.

While at Northwestern, Nathan served as a Graduate Assistant for the clarinet studio and was featured as a soloist with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra. He can be heard performing as a soloist on various streaming services (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.) in an oratorio titled Terra Nostra by Stacy Garrop. In 2022, he was selected to perform in a masterclass with Berlin Philharmonic's Principal Clarinet, Wenzel Fuchs. 

Following graduation, Nathan currently serves as a Freelance Musician and Educator, having performed with the Civic Orchestra as Chicago, Chicago Sinfonietta, and Rockford Symphony. In 2024, he was named a finalist for the Luminarts Classical Fellowship Competition, and was named a recipient for the Stagetime Artist Grant. He performed as a soloist for the Big Fish Ball—a civic outreach event with the city of Chicago and CSO for Kids. Nathan also teaches clarinet privately and coaches woodwind sectionals for public schools in Skokie, IL.

In his free time, Nathan enjoys doing gymnastics, playing frisbee, traveling, and spending quality time outdoors with his friends and family.