Read the full article by Joan Cusick at The Sacramento Observer
Brooklyn-born Deborah Pittman devoted decades of her life to the clarinet, playing on Broadway and for the symphony orchestra in Sacramento. But that turned out to be merely an overture for a lifetime exploring the arts.
Pittman moved from New York to Sacramento in 1981, but after nine years with the symphony, she “decided it was killing my soul, it was killing my body, and I should take a leave of absence to find out if I wanted to continue.”
The classical clarinetist turned from performing to teaching — first at UC Davis, then at Sacramento State. At UC Davis, she led the Capital Arts Project, which brought together a teaching team of professional artists with art teachers of every level.