Praised by critics for her “great virtuosity and flair” and “exquisite artistry”, Diane Barger is the Ron and Carol Cope Professor of Clarinet and member of the Moran Woodwind Quintet at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a position she has held since 1994. She received the 2013 Annis Chaikin Sorensen Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Humanities and the 2001 Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts Distinguished College Teaching Award at UNL. She is principal clarinet of Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra and is President of the International Clarinet Association (ICA). She also served the ICA as President elect (2020-2022), Nebraska State Chair (2010-2020), Pedagogy Chair (2016-2018), Artistic Director of the 2012 ClarinetFest®, Treasurer (2004-2010), and Coordinator of the High School Solo Competition (2003-2005). She also serves as NACWPI Nebraska State Chair and is a Buffet Crampon Artist/Clinician, a Légère Endorsing Artist, and a member of the Silverstein Pro Team. In addition to her work as a collegiate educator, Barger actively works with pre-college clarinetists and is involved in mentoring her cadre of clarinet instructors at Cornerstone Academy of Clarinet, LLC where she serves as Founder and Professor of Clarinet.

A specialist in the genre of operatic fantasies for clarinet based on Vincenzo Bellini operas, Barger can be heard as a featured soloist on the International Clarinet Association’s 1998 Recording Project compact disc in a performance of Domenico Mirco’s “La Sonnambula” Fantasia for clarinet and piano. In August 2012, Barger published a CD of works by Scott McAllister entitled BlingBling, as well as 13 editions of Bellini operatic fantasies by various 19^th-Century composers, all of which are available through Potenza Music. The Trio 402 (UNL professors Barger, Dr. Mark Clinton, and Dr. Jeff McCray) released a CD titled Conversations Between Friends for clarinet, bassoon, and piano of music by William Hurlstone and Bill Douglas published by Potenza Music (2016).

Barger received the Doctor of Music (1999) and Bachelor of Music (1988) degrees from the Florida State University where she was a student of Frank Kowalsky. While completing the Graduate Certificate in Performance (1990) and Master of Music (1989) degrees from Northwestern University she was a student of Robert Marcellus. For her doctoral research she was the recipient of the 1996 Faculty Summer Research Fellowship and Grant-in-Aid awarded by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Research Council. In addition to being a member of the International Clarinet Association, the Music Educators National Conference, the Music Teachers National Association, and Sigma Alpha Iota, Barger served as Chair of the Woodwind Area at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 2000-2020.