Clarinetist Tami Bois grew up in the town of Sparland , Illinois , a rural farming community located on the Illinois River .  She comes from a musical family.  Her grandmother played clarinet in the local swing bands of the forties and was also a well-known pianist and organist in the area.  In addition, her mother was a vocalist and drum set player, her aunt a trained classical soprano and her cousin is currently the keyboardist for Peobo Bryson.  Thus it seemed only natural for Tami to choose a career in music.

 After completing her last two years of high school in the small town of Brandenburg , Kentucky , she received a music scholarship to the University of Kentucky to study clarinet and music education.  At UK she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education  and studied clarinet with Dr. Ronald Monsen.  While at the university, she was a member of the Symphonic Winds, Woodwind Quintet and was clarinet section leader for the University of Kentucky “Wildcat” Marching Band.  In the summers, she coordinated and instructed band music and marching rehearsals for various central Kentucky area high schools and also taught privately.  

Since college, Tami has had a wide variety of career experiences from band directing in public and private elementary and middle schools to working with developmentally disabled adults.  She has also been involved with church music for many years singing alto in the choir, directing and playing in handbell choirs and playing clarinet, solo and in ensembles.  She has been a member of The National Association for Music Education and the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers.

 Currently, she is the stay-at-home mom of a sixteen year old son and stepmom to a twenty-two year old daughter.  She is also “Mom” to two cats and a Shetland Sheepdog.  Tami has lived in California for the past ten years.  She and her husband Jack live in the Willow Glen area of San Jose .  In addition to playing in the San Jose Metropolitan Band for the past year and a half and recently being appointed Concertmaster, she sings in the choir at South Valley Christian Church and teaches privately in her home.  She also enjoys cooking, gardening, reading, scrapbooking and motorhome travel with her family.