Ran Kampel

Israeli born clarinetist Ran Kampel enjoys a versatile career of solo, chamber music, orchestral performances, and teaching. He held principal clarinet positions with the Jacksonville Symphony, the Grand Rapids Symphony, and was a fellow with the New World Symphony. He also has performed as a guest musician with The Cleveland Orchestra, The Houston Symphony, the Houston Grand Opera and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. During the summers, Ran has performed at Salzburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Tanglewood, Yellow Barn, Krzyżowa-Music, Lakes Area, Aspen, Norfolk, Sarasota, Britten–Pears and Breckenridge music festivals.

Ran serves as assistant professor of clarinet at Baylor University School of Music, and has lead masterclasses around the world, including at the University of Minnesota, University of Maryland, University of Houston, Interlochen Arts Academy, Academia Filarmónica de Medellín in Colombia, Universidad de Costa Rica and Givatayim Conservatory in Israel.

A believer in bringing classical music to new audiences in an interactive manner, Ran produced a few innovative concerts with the goal of changing the way classical music is experienced. His Within the Music concerts give the audience an opportunity to have a closer look into uncovered territories: the rehearsal process of a chamber group, how artistic decisions are reached, how our instruments produce sound, and how seating arrangements on stage can affect the aural and visual experience for the audience. He utilized technological and visual devices to stimulate the audience and make the music use all of their sensory receptors. These concerts are available for streaming online for free via MUSAIC & YouTube.

Ran's chamber groups have performed at the Eastman Virtuosi Series, the Grand Rapids Art Museum, at the WinterMezzo concert series of Festival Mozaic, in Festival del Sole Napa Valley, Sunset ChamberFest, and as part of the Pulitzer Prize Centennial Celebration in Miami. Ran received degrees with high honors from USC Thornton School of Music and the Eastman School of Music. His primary teachers were Yehuda Gilad, Jon Manasse, Andrew Brown and Eva Wasserman-Margolis.

Ran is a Buffet Crampon USA Performing Artist and performs exclusively on Buffet Crampon instruments. Outside the concert hall, he enjoys cooking, skiing, hiking, playing tennis and soccer.