Kyle Champion
Kyle is principal cellist with the Redlands Symphony, and former principal cello with the Riverside County Philharmonic and the Oklahoma City Chamber Orchestra. He is a current member of the Long Beach Symphony, and has subbed with Pacific Symphony Orchestra, and Los Angeles Opera. Kyle was also a member of the American Sinfonietta, under the esteemed direction of conductor Michael Palmer. He joined the Sinfonietta on three European tours, participated in their Summer Music Festival in Bellingham, Washington, and can be heard on their All-Mendelssohn and Beethoven in Bellingham CDs. He rounds out his performing schedule playing chamber music recitals with the cello quartet Quatracelli. He has twice been a featured guest soloist with the Redlands Symphony. He performs on a Christopher Dungey cello made for him in 2001.
Kyle is currently Artist Teacher of Cello at the University of Redlands and Director of their String Project. He teaches at the UR Community School of Music and the Arts, as well as at his home in La Verne. He is the String Instrumental Music Specialist at The Webb Schools of California, a position he has held since 2011. He has been a highly sought after adjudicator for MTAC, SYMF, and other similar musical organizations. He has been a regular coach for sectionals with the Claremont Young Musicians Orchestra and Intermezzo Orchestra in Claremont, and the Youth Symphony at University of Redlands Community School. He has also been a chamber music coach for Junior Chamber Music and at the UR Summer Strings Workshop.
Kyle completed his Master of Music degree in cello performance at the University of Southern California, where he was a student of Ronald Leonard, and his Bachelor of Music Education degree at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. He has studied chamber music with Donald McInnes, members of the New Hungarian String Quartet and the contemporary music performers, Voices of Change.