LSU Welcomes Bixby Kennedy as Visiting Assistant Professor of Clarinet

The LSU School of Music is delighted to welcome Bixby Kennedy, who will join LSU's faculty as Visiting Assistant Professor of Clarinet this fall. 

Lauded for his "admirable suppleness and beauty of tone" (Allan Kozinn, Portland Press Herald) and recognized as one of the most versatile clarinetists of his generation, Kennedy brings a dynamic blend of artistry and experience to LSU's woodwind faculty. As a sought-after soloist, chamber musician, orchestral performer, and historical performance specialist, he has cultivated a national reputation for both musical excellence and pedagogical insight. 

A deeply engaged performer, Kennedy has performed concerti with the Minnesota Orchestra, Houston Symphony, and New Haven Symphony Orchestra. and as a guest artist with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He has performed at many of the nation's most esteemed venues, including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and the Kennedy Center. He is a founding member of the acclaimed New York-based ensemble Frisson, and regularly collaborates with artists and institutions across the country. In the fall of 2025, he will join the storied New York New Music Ensemble which specializes in the contemporary and forward-thinking repertoire of our time. 

As an orchestral musician, he has performed with the MET Opera, New York Philharmonic, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and The Knights in addition to regular engagements with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. 

Kennedy is also active in historically informed performance and has performed on original and replica instruments with ensembles throughout the US. As a composer and arranger, his works have been performed by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble Connect, Frisson, and others. 

An experienced educator, Kennedy has held various adjunct and visiting appointments at Williams College, Vanderbilt University, UMass Amherst, and Tennessee State University. He is an alumnus of Carnegie Hall's Ensemble Connect, where he served as both a performer and teaching artist. He holds a Bachelor of Music from Indiana University, a Master of Music from Yale University, and is currently in the final stages of completing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Manhattan School of Music. 

In his free time, he enjoys traveling, trying new foods, laughing, hiking, playing tennis, and spending time with his family. 

We are thrilled to welcome Bixby Kennedy and his family to Baton Rouge and look forward to the energy, excellence, and collaborative spirit he will bring to the LSU community.