Crescendo logo
Illustration of performer playing guitar

About me

Jason Shafer

I am a professional orchestral musician. With over a decade of experience as the full-time Principal Clarinetist of the Colorado Symphony, I deeply understand the stress we face as performing artists. I love teaching – I’m a university music professor, too. When I kept bumping into performance psychology both as a performer and teacher, I decided to follow this passion. Now, with a master’s degree in performance psychology, I’m nearing final certification as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).

My work as a musician

I joined the Colorado Symphony as Principal Clarinet at the start of the 2013-2014 season. Prior to that, I spent four years as a fellow with the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, FL. I earned my Bachelor of Music with Highest Distinction from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. My major musical influences include Kenneth Grant, Mark Nuccio, Burt Hara, and Dr. Kyle Coughlin.

I've had the privilege of performing in guest principal roles with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Cincinnati Symphony. Additionally, I serve as the Principal Clarinet at the Sun Valley Music Festival. Internationally, I've performed in Thailand, Austria, Estonia, and Russia, and I'm always eager to expand my travel experiences.

My journey in music has allowed me the opportunity to collaborate in chamber music performances with many distinguished musicians, such as Yefim Bronfman, Jessye Norman, Michelle DeYoung, Jeremy Denk, and Paquito D’Rivera. As a concerto soloist, I've performed with the Colorado Symphony, the Sun Valley Music Festival, the New World Symphony, and the Eastman Philharmonia, among others.

My passion for teaching led me to join the faculty of the University of Northern Colorado and the International Festival-Institute at Round Top. Topics on performance psychology often find their way into my teaching. During my time at Eastman, I also studied piano, and I still enjoy accompanying other musicians whenever possible.

Photo of Jason Shafer performing with the Colorado Symphony
Image courtesy of the Colorado Symphony

My work as a performance consultant

I successfully completed my Master's degree in Performance Psychology in 2024, with a notable distinction and a GPA of 4.0. Currently, I am in the advanced stages of obtaining my certification as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC), a qualification offered by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).

I have worked with individual and group clients from around the world. Although I specialize in working with musicians, I have also enjoyed my work with dancers, actors, and athletes. In addition, I have the privilege of teaching "Performance Psychology" courses at two institutions: the University of Northern Colorado and the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music.

Over the years, I've had the opportunity to conduct a range of workshops centered around the theme of performance psychology for a variety of organizations. To name a few examples, I've led sessions at the International Festival-Institute at Round Top, collaborated with Dr. Noa Kageyama on multiple projects, presented at the International Clarinet Association, and worked with several other universities and music schools across the United States.

To give you a deeper understanding of my work and my approach to performance psychology, I would recommend listening to a recent interview I had the pleasure of doing with Dr. Noa Kageyama, who is one of my most respected colleagues in this field.

Want to hear some music?

Performances

You can also watch me perform every week with the Colorado Symphony. Tickets are available here.