To support current students, please consider joining us for the Seeing Stars! benefit: FSPA’s largest annual fundraiser featuring dinner and a show!

Let’s learn more about Najee!

Originally from Flint, MI, clarinetist Najee Greenlee is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree studying at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University with Richie Hawley. He attended the Aspen Music Festival and School and performed with the Conducting Academy orchestra as a recipient of a fellowship, studying with Michael Rusinek and Laura Ardan. Additionally, he was a fellow in the National Repertory Orchestra. Najee was selected for the Performance Today Young Artists in Residence Program (PTYA), which culminated in a radio broadcast of a performance and interview on NPR. Before coming to Rice, he attended the Interlochen Arts Academy for two years, studying with Bryan Conger. There, he performed with the band and orchestra and was selected to record for From the Top as a recipient of the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award.

Receiving support from the Seeing Stars program was essential for my foundation as a musician. With the financial support provided, I was able to have a private teacher for the first time, participate in a youth orchestra, and perform in a chamber group. All of these experiences during my time at FSPA further cemented my decision to pursue music, and helped me form great friendships and become a more confident musician. Because of the lessons I learned in orchestra and with my private teacher, I was able to audition for and attend the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp. There I introduced to a level of playing that I had previously only heard on recordings, and it inspired me to be a musician for life. Following Interlochen’s summer camp, I received a scholarship to attend their arts boarding school for my last two years of high school. I am now in my third year of school at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. My time at the FSPA frequently crosses my mind, and I would not be where I am today without the support of the Seeing Stars program.