Bassoon
Since entering the world of professional music in 1972, Benjamin Kamins has enjoyed a distinguished career as an orchestral musician, chamber and solo performer, and educator. During his nine years as associate principal bassoon with the Minnesota Orchestra, Mr. Kamins taught at St. Olaf and Macalester colleges and was a member of the Aurora Wind Quintet. In 1981 he was appointed principal bassoon of the Houston Symphony. A founding member of both the Epicurean Wind Quintet and the Houston Symphony Chamber Players, he went on to receive faculty appointments at the University of Houston and Rice University. He is currently a professor at Rice's Shepherd School of Music.
Mr. Kamins holds a faculty position at the International Festival Institute at Round Top in Round Top, Texas, and is principal bassoon of the Sun Valley Summer Symphony in Sun Valley, Idaho. He has also served as a guest principal bassoonist with the Pittsburg Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, and the Boston Symphony.
In addition to his performing engagements, Mr. Kamins is in demand for masterclasses, recitals, and chamber performances throughout North America. This summer he will premiere a new solo composition by Libby Larsen at the International Double Reed Society's annual meeting in Provo, Utah.
An alumnus of the Music Academy (1968-69), he has been an Academy faculty member since 1999.