Khải Niên Nguyễn is a clarinetist, educator, and scholar from Southern California, currently pursuing a Master of Music in Clarinet Performance at the University of California, Los Angeles. He recently completed his Bachelor of Music in Clarinet Performance with a minor in Music Theory at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music.
As a performer, Khải Niên has appeared with ensembles including the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Akron Symphony. He is the winner of the 2026 Atwater Kent Concerto Competition, performing Copland’s Clarinet Concerto. Recent concerto engagements also include Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto with the Vietnamese American Philharmonic. He is currently a member of the Taneycomo Festival Orchestra, where he performs orchestral and chamber repertoire in both traditional and unconventional venues as part of the organization’s mission to expand access to classical music in underserved communities. Khải Niên has premiered several new works and participated in master classes with artists such as Yehuda Gilad, Anthony McGill, and Burt Hara.
Alongside his performing career, Khải Niên maintains an active and international teaching presence. He has served as guest faculty at the Qingdao International Clarinet Seminar and the Tianjin Orchestral Art Music Festival. During his time at Oberlin Conservatory, he taught collegiate-level clarinetists as a Secondary Clarinet Instructor and worked as Assistant Conductor and Woodwind Coach for the Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra. He also maintains a private teaching studio, working with students from diverse backgrounds and levels of experience.
Outside of the European classical tradition, Khải Niên connects to his Vietnamese heritage through performing folk music and serving as Principal Clarinet of the Vietnamese American Philharmonic. His research explores how theoretical analysis can guide students toward more architectural, expressive, and informed interpretive decisions. Beyond Western art music, he also studies popular music, especially the works of Sufjan Stevens, and enjoys studying how these concepts translate across genres.
His principal teachers include Boris Allakhverdyan, Richard Hawkins, Dr. Jan Miyake, and Mathieu Girardet, whose mentorship has profoundly shaped his artistic and pedagogical voice. Through performance, teaching, and research, Khải Niên seeks to cultivate compassion and connection within the communities he serves.