Dr. Samantha Lake

Samantha Lake began her musical career with the study of classical piano at the age of five and continued to take lessons for 13 years. Unafraid to be different, Dr. Lake chose tuba in sixth grade and never looked back. Since then, she has been heard in venues as diverse as Carnegie Hall, the MetLife Stadium, and the streets of New Orleans.

While performing tuba with Calliope Brass and freelancing in multiple ensembles, including the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra and the Ridgefield Orchestra, Dr. Lake has also earned recognition as a soloist. Her passion for solo performances was ignited when she won the Young Artist Solo Competition in New London, CT in 2012, resulting in a solo performance accompanied by the U.S. Coast Guard Band. In the past few years, she has won the Rutgers Concerto Competition, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp Staff Solo Competition, and University of Connecticut Concerto Competition, and placed second in the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra Instrumental Competition.

Also passionate about her work as an educator, she teaches Tuba and Euphonium at Kutztown University. Previously, she has served as a Morse Teaching Artist fellow and Music Advancement Program Fellow. Holding leadership roles in university and high school ensembles, Dr. Lake has also conducted rehearsals and led by enthusiastic example. Dr. Lake has taught group and masterclasses at Sichuan Conservatory of Music, Ohio University, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and various public schools.

With a musical curiosity that extends beyond classical tuba, she has performed in a steel pan ensemble, percussion ensemble, chorus, and an early instrumental music ensemble.  Highlights include Mozart’s Requiem at age 10, traveling to New Orleans to learn about the musical heritage, and participating in TubaChristmas at Rockefeller Center.

Dr. Lake is from southeastern Connecticut and graduated with a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Connecticut. She recently earned her Doctorate of Musical Arts from Rutgers University and her doctoral research led to presentations at VTEC 2021 and IWBC 2022 on the exclusion of high voices in tuba multiphonic repertoire and the commission of two works for unaccompanied tuba. Her principal teachers are Alan Baer and Gary Sienkiewicz.

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