Charlene Clark

First Violins

Charlene Clark started her violin studies at the age of five with Charles Slavik in Edwardsville, Illinois. She furthered her musical studies in St. Louis with Russell Gerhardt and Jerome Rosen and attended several music camps, including the American Federation of Musicians Congress of Strings at Michigan State University. She also performed with the St. Louis String Ensemble and was a member of the St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra.

Clark received a Bachelor of Music Education from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 1967, and taught instrumental music in the St. Louis County schools prior to joining the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra in 1968. In addition to performing with the orchestra and the Amici Quartet, she has given several recitals at Saint Louis University and has performed as soloist with the Saint Louis Symphony County Pops, the Little Symphony, and on the Chamber Music St. Louis series. Clark was a recipient of the 1990 Shero Award given by the Coalition of 100 Black Women.

In the last several years, Clark has been more involved in the SLSO's educational activities, presenting programs in the Greater St. Louis area schools. Clark also teaches violin at Washington University. In November 2009, Charlene Clark will be the recipient of the George Smith Diversity Award given by the Musicians' Association of St. Louis.