Regarded as China's premier clarinetist, Fan Lei has captivated audiences as a soloist and recitalist throughout the United States, Canada and Asia. As an enthusiastic advocate and performer of new music, he recently gave Penderecki’s Sextet its North American premier and presented the first performance of James Cohen’s Three Pieces for Clarinet. An active adjudicator, he has served as a jury member for the l998 Beijing International Clarinet Competition and for the National Arts Club Clarinet Competition in New York. He is also currently the Artistic Director for the International Clarinet Festival in Xian, China. Mr. Fan received degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory and Yale University. His many honours and awards include the Grand Prize of the Chinese National Clarinet competition, where he was chosen as one of two ambassadors to represent the People’s Republic of China at the Toulon International Competition in France. A devoted teacher, Fan Lei has given masterclasses at Yale University, the Banff Centre for the Arts, the Interlochen Arts Academy, the National Arts University in Taiwan and several academies in China. At present he serves as permanent visiting professor at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and the Xian Conservatory, and as visiting artist at the Banff Centre for the Arts. An associate professor at the Lawrence Univeristy Conservatory of Music, Mr. Fan is Chair of the Wind, Brass and Percussion Department. He is also principal clarinetist in the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra.