"I thought everyone played everything!" Clegg said. He went on to train in saxophone and the classical woodwinds, playing nearly everything himself.
Clegg's role in the department of music at Greensboro College mirrors such proficiency. He currently teaches music history and literature; orchestration; saxophone and clarinet; and classical woodwinds for education majors. He also conducts the jazz ensemble and instructs seminars in the honors program.
"I'm very pleased with the work I've been able to do with the honors program and with the academic work I've been able to do with the music program," Clegg said. "I hoped to bridge the gap between performing and the academic side of music study so music theory and music history would be more meaningful to students.
"Because Greensboro College is a liberal arts school and not a conservatory, I think it's important that our classes reflect a much broader sense of the Western tradition. This way, students' capacity for critical thought is enhanced by all of their courses."
A native of Greensboro, Clegg attended the U.S. Naval School of Music and North Texas State University and earned the bachelor of music and master of music degrees at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He later performed doctoral studies at the City University of New York and spent six years as a performer and music student in New York City.
"One of the things a liberal arts school can do is bring the complexity to the student that's available in a big city," Clegg said. "We can bring the humanities, arts and sciences of a big city to a small, intimate setting like Greensboro College if we make that our goal."
Clegg performed a debut recital at Carnegie Hall in 1981 and has played music with various bands in the New York area. He has toured in road shows with Bob Hope, Brenda Lee, Jim Nabors, The Platters and numerous other performers. Clegg also has been a part of several music publishing firms; he copublished the Reba McEntire hit "Take It Back," which reached #5 on the country charts.
Clegg joined the College in 1989 and serves on the honors program and the international studies committees. He is a member of the Society for Music Theory, North Carolina Music Educators Association and Music Educators National Conference. He lives with his wife, Victoria, and their cats and dog near the College.
When he's not teaching and conducting music on campus, Clegg plays saxophone and clarinet in the local band Martha and the Moodswingers, a five-member swing and jazz group. He also engages in regular freelance performances in the central Piedmont area.
As for those hours when he's not playing music? That's when Clegg writes books. His first novel, tentatively titled "Blind Man's Bluff," is a murder mystery featuring a blind detective. Since sending this book to an agent last summer, Clegg - who has been legally blind for 25 years - has devoted himself to a second work focusing on the nature of challenges in a person's life and how one can use those challenges to become stronger.
"Writing this book is a process of self-discovery," Clegg said. He plans to complete the book within the next year.
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