Guitarist and pianist Ariel Kasler holds a Master of Music in Jazz Performance from Bowling Green State University, a Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music, and an Alexander Technique Teaching Certificate from the Toronto School of the Alexander Technique.
Kasler is a versatile performer and educator. His career has included: Releasing two jazz quintet albums – Make is Bloom (2022) and Above the Sound (2015), featuring original jazz compositions and arrangements of jazz standards; performing weekly with the BGSU Jazz Faculty ensemble; performing and commissioning contemporary music for electric guitar and saxophone with saxophonist Bobbi Thompson; serving as the pianist for the Toledo Jazz Orchestra; and numerous diverse performances with jazz artists and regional orchestras.
As Artistic Director of the Orchard Guitar Festival, he has brought numerous jazz guitarists to Bowling Green State University including Pat Martino, John Scofield, Bill Frisell, Mike Stern, Peter Bernstein, Fareed Haque, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jonathan Kreisberg, Gilad Hekselman, Sheryl Bailey, Romero Lubambo, Howard Alden, and Nir Felder.
Joining the faculty at BGSU in 2015, Ariel has taught Alexander Technique for Musicians, Applied Jazz Guitar, Applied Guitar, Applied Jazz Piano, Classical Guitar Ensemble, Chamber Jazz Ensemble, Guitar Pedagogy, Jazz Arranging and Analysis 1, Jazz Arranging and Analysis 2, Jazz History, Jazz Improvisation Styles and Analysis, Jazz Improvisation and Repertoire I, Jazz Improvisation and Repertoire II, Jazz Lab II, Jazz Pedagogy, Jazz Piano Fundamentals I, Jazz Piano Fundamentals II, and Jazz Guitar Ensemble.
Since 2022, he has served as director of the BGSU Summer Music Institute Jazz Camp.
