Joshua Ranz originally joined the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra in 1999. For the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons, he was the acting principal clarinet for LACO, winning the audition for principal clarinet in May 2008.

Joshua also served as principal clarinet during LACO’s 2008 European tour. He was featured prominently with mezzo-soprano Vesselina Kasarova in performances of Mozart’s aria from the opera La Clemenza di Tito, “Parto, ma tu ben mio,” in LACO’s concerts in the Italian city of Treviso; Hanover, Hamburg and Berlin in Germany; and in Paris, France.

Joshua is also a member of the Pacific Symphony and in March 2006 he played principal clarinet on their European tour. He has recorded with LACO and the Pacific Symphony and is active in the television and motion picture industry. He is also acting principal of the New West Symphony and has filled in as principal for the LA Opera, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and the Santa Barbara Symphony. He has also performed with the LA Philharmonic, San Diego and Colorado symphonies.

Joshua spends his summers performing with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra in western New York, as well as in the Mainly Mozart Festival in San Diego, California. In the summer of 2009, he performed in the Maine for the Bay Chamber Concerts series with a roster of all-principal wind players from top orchestras around the country. He has performed with Chamber Music Palisades, the Capitol Ensemble, Jacaranda and numerous other chamber music programs throughout Southern California.

Before moving to Los Angeles in 1999, Joshua was a member of the Honolulu and San Jose symphonies. He was a fellow and a faculty member of the Aspen Music School and Festival and a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Festival. He has played recitals at the International Clarinet Association Convention and has performed with the New York Woodwind Quintet at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. Joshua is on faculty at Biola University and Long Beach City College.

Originally from New York, Joshua attended Fiorella H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. He went on to receive his bachelor’s degree at Harvard College, majoring in music composition and analysis. Joshua then received his Master of Music at the Yale School of Music, where he studied with David Shifrin.

Since arriving in Southern California, Joshua has taken up golf with a passion. He figures he’s got a lot of catching up to do to match his years working on the clarinet!

Joshua and his wife, oboist Lelie Resnick, have two sons, Jonah, born in October 2006, and Nathan, born in November 2009.

photo Michael Miller