Dr. Gary Behm is the Chairperson and Professor of Clarinet and Saxophone in the Department of Music at Montana State University-Billings. He holds a D.M.A. degree in clarinet from the University of Southern Mississippi, and received his B.M. and M.A. degrees from the University of Iowa. Dr. Behm studied for three years at Indiana University with Bernard Portnoy (former principal clarinetist with the Philadelphia and Cleveland Orchestras). He also studied with Himie Voxman (University of Iowa) and Wilbur Moreland (University of Southern Mississippi).

Dr. Behm is an active performer, clinician and adjudicator. He has been principal clarinetist with the Billings Symphony Orchestra since 1980, and has appeared extensively as a soloist and chamber musician throughout Montana and the Northwest. In 1994 he was the co-organizer and performer in a project funded by the Montana Arts Council to present Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time in five major Montana cities. This work was subsequently performed at the national convention of the Music Teachers National Association in Washington, D.C. Dr. Behm has been a member of the faculty at the Red Lodge Music Festival for the past 14 years, and has been the principle and co-principle clarinetist at the Flathead Orchestral Festival. He is also a founding member of the Yellowstone Chamber Players. Dr. Behm is a Buffet Clarinet Artist.