Today we’d like to introduce you to Claire Grellier.
Hi Claire, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am a clarinetist, educator, and entrepreneur based in Hollywood, California. I arrived in the United States for the first time in the summer of 2010 to study music at an American university. What was supposed to be a year studying abroad turned into two, which turned into nine! In May 2020, I received my Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. Even though the road was long, I have really enjoyed every step of my studies and learned so much about myself as a musician and an educator. I currently teach at the French Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles and started a music accessory business during the pandemic. As common with many clarinetists, I experienced a wrist injury due to the weight of the instrument that required me to use a neck strap. And, as I was not finding one that was fitting all my needs, I designed a neck strapline for the clarinet and saxophone that musicians can be proud of wearing. My neck-straps are both functional and stylish. Wearing a neck track carries a stigma in my music field, but I am changing that!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It is never a smooth road for any musician, especially one who studies in a different culture and country than where they grew up. I am both a first-generation musician and French-American. I am someone who likes to be challenged and is interested in growth. Since I first picked up the clarinet as a young kid, I haven’t stopped enjoying both performing and mastering the instrument. Right before I was to receive my Doctorate and search for a university teaching position, the pandemic hit and with that came a hiring freeze. I took this as a sign to be more creative in my pursuits and started my business of neck-straps.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
When the pandemic hit, I began researching my idea for a more improved neck strap. After just a couple of months, I constructed an idea for a stylish and comfortable neck strap that met all the needs I could never find in one on the market. Above all, I created something performers could adorn as a piece of art and become a fashion statement. Being environmentally conscious, all of the neck-straps are handmade locally in Los Angeles and contain zero plastic. As the co-founder of Environmental Queers in Los Angeles, I couldn’t bear adding more plastic to our environment. I currently have four different neck straps designs but in early 2022, I will be offering a new line that I am very proud of.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I have a website clairegrelliermusic.com and an Etsy store. Please spread the word of my Etsy store to anyone you know playing clarinet or saxophone.
Contact Info:
- Email: clairegrelliermusic@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.clairegrelliermusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clairegrelliermusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clairegrelliermusic
Image Credits
Myself (Claire Grellier)
