Anne Wilcheck-Schuessler grew up in Owensboro, Ky and started playing the clarinet in band at Longfellow Elementary School. She attended Southern Middle School and graduated from Owensboro High School in 1982. She was a member of the Owensboro Youth Orchestra from 1978-1982. During her junior and senior year of high school, Anne was tutoring clarinet students at SMS. This is where her lifetime love for teaching started. For her bachelor’s degree in Music Education, she attended the University of Evansville and studied with clarinetist, Dr. David Wright. In 1983, she began subbing with the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra and the Evansville Philharmonic. In 1984, she won the 2nd clarinet/Eb clarinet audition for BOTH orchestras and began her professional playing career at the age of 19. While continuing to play in both orchestras and giving private lessons, Anne attended Indiana University for her Master’s Degree in Clarinet Performance. While at I.U., she studied clarinet with Anton Weinberg and James Campbell and was a Wind Conducting student of Ray Kramer. In 1989, she was accepted into the Artist Diploma Program at I.U., but was also offered her first teaching job at Boonville Middle and Boonville High School in Indiana. She decided to take the teaching job, continued to teach private lessons, and was still playing in both orchestras. She also started playing with the Evansville Symphonic Band during this time.
Anne was the Director of Bands at Daviess County Middle School and was assistant band director at DCHS from 1990-1998. Anne then moved to Henderson North Middle School and assisted at HCHS from 1998-2000. From 2000-2008, Anne started her own private lesson business in Evansville called “Perfect Practice” and taught 70 students a week that were coming from Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois. She was also the Woodwind Caption Head, Clarinet, Sax and, Flute instructor for Castle High School from 2001-2008. In 2008, Anne started teaching band full time again at McGary Middle School and is assisting with the William Henry Harrison High School Band. In her spare time, Anne enjoys teaching private lessons at The Foundry Center for the Arts, playing for weddings, and worshipping God by playing during church services.
Anne is married to Jeff Schuessler, General Manager of Bru Burger Bar in Evansville. They have 3 adult children that are all happily married and they are also blessed with 4 Grand Buddies.