Clarinetist Dr. Stephanie Zelnick enjoys a multi-faceted career as a soloist, orchestral performer, and chamber musician, appearing throughout North America, Asia, South America, and Europe. Her professional engagements, spanning 26 countries, include performances and masterclasses at venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, the Academy for the Performing Arts in Prague, the National Concert Hall of Taiwan, and the Yale School of Music. She has received critical praise for her « committed and polished performances, » with The Clarinet noting her « crystal clear tone and beautifully shaped phrases. » A distinguished educator and scholar, she is the Professor of Clarinet at the University of Kansas.

She has held principal clarinet positions in the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, Central City Opera, Johann Strauss Opera in Vienna, Mississippi Symphony, Prague Opera Orchestra, and Colorado Ballet, and has appeared with various other orchestras including the Colorado Symphony, Prague Chamber Orchestra, and Kansas City Symphony, among others.

Her discography includes releases on the Innova, Accademia del Clarinetto, and Naxos labels, and her performances have been featured on NPR. She has served on the summer faculties of the Chautauqua Institution, the LA Philharmonic YOLA National Festival, the Sunflower Music Festival, the Wyoming Festival, and the Rocky Ridge Music Festival. She is a Buffet Crampon Artist-Clinician and a Vandoren Performing Artist.

Dr. Zelnick is a pioneer in the emerging field of performance science, specifically addressing the intersection of musical artistry and high-altitude physiology. Bridging her expertise as an endurance athlete and mountain guide with her musical career, she translates the demands of performance into practical pedagogical insights for wind players. She solidified this work by performing the highest recorded classical music concert in the Rockies on the summit of Mt. Elbert, Colorado (14,439 feet). As the founder of The High Altitude Musician, she is currently authoring a comprehensive field guide designed to support performers at higher elevations, providing resources for the musical community.