About Me

As a faculty member, I love working with the broad variety of students I’ve met at Susquehanna, ranging from music majors aiming to be professional musicians and teachers, to students in other disciplines looking to gain more skill in a hobby they love. Every student brings unique perspectives, backgrounds, ideas and capabilities to the table. I learn just as much from working with them as I hope they learn from me and I get a great sense of fulfillment out of helping each student accomplish their individual musical goals.

For students seeking a liberal arts education, music’s got it all. I cannot think of many other areas of study that engage critical thinking, problem solving skills, creativity and emotional expression all at the same time resulting in works of artistic beauty. The process of making and performing music with others is also a wonderful opportunity to forge strong friendships that will remain with you beyond your years in school.

While I’m the only professional musician in my family, everyone from my mother, the doctor, to my brother, the computer scientist, has been involved in music-making and it’s still a vital part of their lives. Whether you’re looking to pursue it professionally or as a hobby, I hope everyone considers getting involved in the great community we have here in the Susquehanna Department of Music.

Professional Experience

Dr. Anthony Poehailos IV is a clarinetist, teacher and audio engineer residing in central Pennsylvania. He is currently serving his first term as Adjunct Professor of Clarinet at Susquehanna University and Artist-Affiliate of Clarinet and Music Theory at Bucknell University. Prior to these appointments, he served as the Interim Lecturer of Clarinet at The Pennsylvania State University and graduate teaching assistant at Penn State and Florida State University.

Dr. Poehailos currently performs with the Altoona Symphony Orchestra as substitute principal clarinetist and has previously performed with the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra and Williamsport Symphony Orchestra. He is a particularly experienced utility clarinetist, having performed on bass clarinet, E-flat clarinet and even saxophone in these ensembles, and won First Prize in the International Clarinet Association’s 2018 ClarinetFest Orchestral Audition Competition in Oostende, Belgium, which featured both principal and bass clarinet excerpts.

In addition to his experience as performer and teacher, Dr. Poehailos works as a post-production audio engineer for Arts Laureate, with experience editing and mixing both in-person and virtual ensemble projects. He has worked with a variety of high-profile clients including the VBODA All-Virginia Bands, Yale University’s Wind Ensemble, and the Choral Arts Society of Washington. He also presented a lecture on audio engineering for performers and teachers at ICA’s 2021 Virtual ClarinetFest.

Dr. Poehailos graduated from Florida State in 2020 with his doctorate in clarinet performance, and wrote his treatise on repertoire for the clarinet choir by 21^st-century American composers. His previous degrees include an M.M. in performance from Penn State and a B.M. in music education from James Madison University; the latter of which named him the valedictorian of his graduating class. His teachers include Deborah Bish, Jonathan Holden, Anthony J. Costa, Janice L. Minor, Anastasia Christofakis and James Tobin.

Courses Taught