Mr. Krishnan is a woodwind instrumentalist born and raised in Union City, CA currently residing back in between the Bay Area and Central Valley of California after spending three years in the area of Eugene, OR. He is the instructor of oboe, bassoon, clarinet, and saxophone at Linn Benton Community College in Albany, OR as well as specifically double reeds at Chabot College and Las Positas College in Hayward and Livermore, CA respectively. Additionally, he is an elementary music teacher specializing in the area of band also in Livermore, CA. A graduate of San Jose State University and the University of Oregon, music performance began at a very young age for him when he started piano lessons. In fifth grade he began playing alto saxophone and in high school picked up soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, bassoon and contrabassoon, as well as some clarinet. Attending San Jose State University gave him the opportunity to get hours of large and small ensemble experience on all of these in addition to several others: oboe and English horn; alto, bass, contra-alto, and contrabass clarinets; sopranino and bass saxophone. During his Masters in Oregon, the whole gamut was studied even further while also throwing in the flute family from piccolo through bass and a whole array of recorders.
Outside of these year-round ensembles, Mr. Krishnan played with many musical theatre groups in the area (Children's Musical Theater of San Jose, Starstruck Theatre, for example). Initially he was called to play "low reed books" which demand skill on baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, and bassoon; nowadays calls come for any and all reed books putting him close to 100 different shows (titles, not just productions), including the National Tour of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas in 2023. He also has been involved greatly in the music education of youths in the Bay Area. High school marching bands have had him on staff teaching the visual aspects in addition to coaching woodwinds. This most recent marching season, he was the visual caption head and woodwind instructor for Mountain House High School. Formerly he taught Branham High School in San Jose, Sheldon High School in Eugene, Castro Valley High School in Castro Valley, Santa Teresa High School in San Jose, Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, Lynbrook High School in San Jose, Fremont High School in Sunnyvale, and Los Gatos High School in Los Gatos. He was also on staff at Redwood Middle School in Saratoga teaching saxophone and Itliong - Vera Cruz Middle School, formerly Alvarado Middle School, in Union City (the program that raised him as a wind instrumentalist) teaching both brass and woodwinds.
While woodwinds are the main calling for Mr. Krishnan, he also spent a year in San Jose State's percussion ensemble, marched one winter season of Vanguard Winter Percussion in the cymbal line, played French horn in SJSU's Symphonic band, and played B-Flat horn, mellophone, and trumpet in both the university's marching band and pep band for several years (and made a couple guest appearances on saxophones, baritone, sousaphone, and bass drum). Occasionally you can also find him conducting musicals and/or playing keyboards!
Outside of these year-round ensembles, Mr. Krishnan played with many musical theatre groups in the area (Children's Musical Theater of San Jose, Starstruck Theatre, for example). Initially he was called to play "low reed books" which demand skill on baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, and bassoon; nowadays calls come for any and all reed books putting him close to 100 different shows (titles, not just productions), including the National Tour of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas in 2023. He also has been involved greatly in the music education of youths in the Bay Area. High school marching bands have had him on staff teaching the visual aspects in addition to coaching woodwinds. This most recent marching season, he was the visual caption head and woodwind instructor for Mountain House High School. Formerly he taught Branham High School in San Jose, Sheldon High School in Eugene, Castro Valley High School in Castro Valley, Santa Teresa High School in San Jose, Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, Lynbrook High School in San Jose, Fremont High School in Sunnyvale, and Los Gatos High School in Los Gatos. He was also on staff at Redwood Middle School in Saratoga teaching saxophone and Itliong - Vera Cruz Middle School, formerly Alvarado Middle School, in Union City (the program that raised him as a wind instrumentalist) teaching both brass and woodwinds.
While woodwinds are the main calling for Mr. Krishnan, he also spent a year in San Jose State's percussion ensemble, marched one winter season of Vanguard Winter Percussion in the cymbal line, played French horn in SJSU's Symphonic band, and played B-Flat horn, mellophone, and trumpet in both the university's marching band and pep band for several years (and made a couple guest appearances on saxophones, baritone, sousaphone, and bass drum). Occasionally you can also find him conducting musicals and/or playing keyboards!