Clarinet

Daniel Ketter

Principal Clarinetist, Daniel Ketter is a recipient of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada Award of Excellence, Italian Academy of Clarinet 2021 Clarinet online contest Second Prize, Interlochen Arts Camp Fennel Scholarship, and the New York Youth Symphony Vargas-Vetter/Ukena Fellowship. He holds the Principal Clarinet position with the Albany Symphony Orchestra and has played with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada in the Aurora and Horizons Tour, NJSMA Region 1 Orchestra as Principal Clarinet, and the New Jersey All-State Band as First Chair clarinet. Daniel manages a private teaching studio as well as working as a mentor in the online Clarinet Transformation Community. He is a graduate of the University of British Columbia where he studied with Jose Franch-Ballester and obtained his Bachelors in Clarinet Performance.   

Bixby Kennedy

Admired for his “marvelous ringing tone” (Joseph Dalton, Albany Times Union) Bixby Kennedy is one of the most versatile clarinetists of his generation.  He has performed concerti with orchestras including the Minnesota Orchestra, Houston Symphony, and New Haven Symphony Orchestra. As a chamber musician, Bixby has performed throughout the US and Europe in venues including  Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, The Kennedy Center, Marlboro Music Festival, and is the clarinetist for the “explosive” New York City based chamber ensemble Frisson.

He has appeared as a guest artist with Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and The Knights. As an orchestral musician, Bixby has performed with the MET Opera and NY Philharmonic in addition to regular engagements with the Albany and New Haven Symphony Orchestras. On period instruments, Bixby has performed classical repertoire on original and replica instruments throughout the US with Grand Harmonie Orchestra.  He is a former member of Ensemble Connect and works as a teaching artist throughout the US. As an arranger, his works have been performed by Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble Schumann, Frisson, Ensemble Connect, and Symphony in C. He loves traveling, trying new foods, laughing, hiking, and playing tennis.

Bixby performs exclusively on Backun instruments.