ATLANTA — Clarinet performance major Jack Lloyd of Pensacola, Fla., has emerged as a standout talent within Georgia State’s School of Music. But his journey at GSU started well before his first year on campus.
During his junior year of high school, Lloyd visited Georgia State through the Panther for a Day program, which allows prospective students to tour campus facilities, meet with faculty and get to know the School of Music firsthand.
“The faculty were warm and welcoming, the students immensely talented and the ensemble experience was unmatched by the other institutions I visited,” Lloyd said.
As he prepares to graduate this spring, he looks back on unforgettable performances, enriching travels abroad and celebrated accomplishments.
Starting piano lessons at age 8 and transitioning to the clarinet at 11, Lloyd’s commitment to music has grown. After initially enrolling in instrumental music education, he decided in 2021 to shift his concentration to instrumental performance.
Lloyd said the Symphonic Wind Ensemble’s debut concert of the 2021-22 academic year, the “first college performance after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted,” jumpstarted his passion for performance.
“I was given the opportunity to play principal clarinet parts for esteemed wind band pieces such as ‘Lincolnshire Posy’ by Percy Grainger and ‘Danzón No. 2’ by Arturo Márquez,” he said. “I remember experiencing such a transcendent feeling during this performance. I had not yet had the opportunity to express myself musically to such an extent.”
Through the Bachelor of Music program, he’s refined his skills and explored diverse subjects like education, music technology and wind conducting. He’s also been guided by mentors like Professor of Clarinet Dr. Kenneth Long throughout his GSU experience.
“Dr. Long has been instrumental in shaping my sound and enforcing healthy habits in my clarinet playing,” Lloyd said. “His guidance has been invaluable in my musical journey.”
Earlier this year, Lloyd was named the 2024 Presser Scholar, an honor recognizing his exceptional musical and academic achievements, leadership qualities and contributions to an inclusive community.
Lloyd also won the Dean’s Award at the Honors Recital in March after his performance of “Bug” by Bruno Mantovani.
“This memory is so fond to me because I have a deep interest in avant-garde music for the clarinet, and I am very happy to have inspired people with my interpretation of the piece,” Lloyd said.
In 2023, Lloyd traveled to Istanbul, Turkey, with the GSU University Singers, accompanying the choir at the World Symposium of Choral Music.
Outside of his academic pursuits, Lloyd is an active member of a newly established professional woodwind chamber group, Camerata Música de Atlanta. Led by GSU alumna Ellie Neufeld-Pires, the ensemble showcases original compositions and orchestral pieces arranged for octet, with the majority of its members having ties to GSU.
After graduation, Lloyd said he’s looking ahead to opportunities to record with a chamber orchestra for a TV show or movie, inspired by his experiences teaching elementary music and participating in recording sessions at Georgia State.
“I am excited to continue my performance endeavors outside of the university and hopefully connect myself to another recording gig very soon,” he said.