Wesley Warnhoff is Associate Teaching Professor of Clarinet at the University of Missouri, where he leads the clarinet studio and teaches applied clarinet, chamber music, and clarinet pedagogy. Known for his thoughtful approach to both performance and education, he is dedicated to fostering musical excellence and artistic growth in his students.

An active performer, Dr. Warnhoff is a member of the Missouri Quintet, performs with the Missouri Symphony, the Odyssey Chamber Music Series, and appears in the summer at Festival Mozaic, a music festival held in San Luis Obispo, California. From 2010 to 2019, he served as Principal Clarinet of the Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra in Michigan, where he developed a reputation for expressive playing and stylistic versatility.

During his schooling at Michigan State, he was the first prize winner of the White Lake National Concerto Competition held in Michigan, where he performed Scott McAllister's X Concerto, further demonstrating his commitment to contemporary repertoire and virtuosic performance.

Warnhoff can be heard on his 2021 release with MSR Classics, The Talea Trio: 5 Trios for Oboe, Clarinet, and Piano. His playing on the album has been described as “deeply poignant” by Atlanta Audio Club. The recording highlights his dedication to chamber music and collaborative performance and is available for streaming on Spotify and Apple Music.

Warnhoff holds both a Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music from Michigan State University, where he studied with the renowned clarinetist Dr. Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr. He earned his Bachelor of Music from Missouri State University, where he studied with Dr. Allison Storochuk. Warnhoff started his studies on clarinet under the instruction of Dr. Jack Scheurer in Columbia, Missouri.

In addition to his academic and performance work, Warnhoff is a performing artist for Backun Musical Services and performs exclusively on Backun Lumière clarinets.

Outside of music, Wes enjoys spending time with his wife, Stephanie, their two daughters, Maddie and Zoe, and their dog, Tina.