Dominique Holley

Bass Clarinet

As someone with a strong dedication to diversity in music, Dominique Holley uses his role as Driftwood Quintet's Executive Director to prove that chamber music can be an efficient medium not only for entertainment but for community enrichment and social discussion as well. Through his arrangements he has sought to highlight the works of various composers of the African Diaspora as well other under-represented groups in the classical music canon. 

Outside of Driftwood, Dominique enjoys utilizing music as a tool to connect with and explore his own cultural heritage. To that end, in 2021 and 2022 respectively, he was awarded the Arizona Commission on the Arts Research and Development Grant and the Artist Opportunity grant to further his research into music by black composers. Besides playing clarinet, Dominique also sings and plays accordion and Hammond organ. He can be seen performing with the ASU Gospel choir, the ASU Middle East Music Ensemble, the Rural Street and Little Chef Klezmer Bands, and as a band member of the local indie-folk group Paula T & Company. Dominique has also previously performed as principal clarinetist of the AZ Promusica Chorale and Orchestra, bass clarinetist of the Tempe Symphonic Winds, and a musician in the Phoenix-based Open Score Ensemble under the direction of Jacob Adler. 

As an educator, Dominique aims to bring the joy of music to underprivileged youth both through Driftwood's educational programming and through his work with non-profit organizations such as Harmony Project Phoenix and the Sounds Academy. 

Dominique attended Arizona State University where he studied clarinet performance with Drs. Robert Spring and Joshua Gardner as well as jazz studies with Bryon Ruth, Michael Kocour, and Keith Kelly. He has also studied privately with members of Chicago-based Fifth House Ensemble as well as Phoenix Symphony principal clarinetist Alex Laing and bass clarinetist Steve Hanusofski. 

Dominique is currently offering lessons!