Joel Panas is a dynamic classical and contemporary clarinetist whose performance and teaching career spans orchestral, chamber, solo, and educational settings across the United States. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Clarinet Performance at West Virginia University, where he serves as the Clarinet Studio Teaching Assistant and performs with the Graduate Wind Quintet and studies clarinet under the mentorship of professor Keeheon Nam.

Panas holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Clarinet Performance from Ohio University, where he studied with Dr. Rebecca Rischin. During his time at Ohio, he was awarded winner of the university’s Concerto Competition and performed Scott McAllister’s Black Dog with the Wind Symphony. He also appeared as a featured soloist with the Ohio University Clarinet Choir and the 4JEMS Clarinet Quartet.

As an orchestral musician, Panas has performed with ensembles such as the Ohio Valley Symphony, Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, Marietta Symphony Orchestra, and Pittsburgh Philharmonic. His versatility is further showcased in his work as a principal Eb and Bb clarinetist with the Cincinnati Wind Band and the Mountain Arts Center Wind Orchestra. He was selected to perform with the World Youth Wind Orchestra Project in Austria in 2025.

A committed chamber musician, Panas is a founding member of the 4JEMS Clarinet Quartet and the HarmonicBreez3 Woodwind Trio. He is passionate about advancing new music and exploring the full expressive range of the clarinet family, particularly the E-flat clarinet.

Alongside his performing career, Panas is an experienced educator. He has taught at the university level, maintained a private studio, and serves as a woodwind instructor for St. Clairsville High School musicians in Ohio. He has performed at the Ohio Music Education Association Conference and participated in masterclasses with leading clarinetists including Julie DeRoche, Robert Spring, Garrick Zoeter, and Matthew Nelson.

Joel Panas is a member of the International Clarinet Association and Ohio Music Education Association.