Join us at this week's meeting of the Philosophy Club in Auerbach 320 on Wednesday, Oct. 22 from 1 p.m.–2 p.m. as Hartt School grad student Linus Poon talks to us about his experience in the musical performance curriculum. Music Academia holds a largely conservatory focus, which parses out original production as separate from performance and belonging to composition—a distinction not maintained in other performing arts. Jazz performance might seem to be an exception, although much of the structure of education even there is conservatory.
Linus Poon is a U.S-based Hong Kong clarinetist currently pursuing a Master’s of Music in Instrumental Performance at the Hartt School. With 13 years of experience playing the clarinet, he has studied and performed domestically and abroad, in countries such as Hong Kong and Japan. Linus’s previous teachers include former Hong Kong New Music Ensemble Clarinetist Alex Chi-Shing Leung, Hong Kong Philharmonic Principal Clarinetist Andrew Simon, and former Interlochen Arts Academy faculty Dr. Bryan Conger. He is currently studying with world-renowned clarinetist Ayako Oshima-Neidich. Linus is an active member of the Hartt Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band, and Orchestra, as well as the Hartt School’s Foot in the Door ensemble. He has performed in Carnegie Hall with the Interlochen Arts Academy Wind Symphony, and the Bushnell Performing Arts Center with the Hartt Orchestra. Linus has been a recipient of the Hartt Performing Arts Scholarship, Hartt Talent Award, and placed Second Runner-Up in the 2025 Hartt School Chamber Music Competition as a member of a quartet. During his studies, Linus has also pursued solo projects, most notably two collaborations with composer Rj Dion: Nautical Adventure for clarinet and ensemble, and Coney Tales for clarinet and piano.
Questions? Contact Brian Skelly at bskelly@hartford.edu or 413.273.2273.
An ongoing weekly tradition at the University since 2001, the University of Hartford Philosophy Club is a place where students, professors, and people from the community at large meet as peers. Sometimes presentations are given, followed by discussion. Other times, topics are hashed out by the whole group.
resenters may be students, professors, or people from the community. Anyone can offer to present a topic. The mode of presentation may be as formal or informal as the presenter chooses.
Come in person or join online! Invite friends. Suggest topics and activities. Take over the club—it belongs to you!