Leonard Ranallo

About Leonard

Drawing inspiration from Bach to Coltrane and beyond, American guitarist Leonard Ranallo blurs the boundaries between performer, composer, and improviser. Praised for his “sensational” performances (WXVU), Ranallo is equally at home on classical and electric guitar, bringing his unique voice to concert stages across North America and Europe. Recent highlights include appearances at the University of St. Andrews (UK), the Peabody Conservatory (US), the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity (CA), and BBC Radio Scotland.

An avid chamber musician, Ranallo regularly performs with Quartet Malamatina, pianist Yolanda Tapia, and The Happenstancers, hailed as “Toronto’s Chamber Music Innovators” (Ludwig Van Toronto). At just 17, he made his orchestral debut as a concerto soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. A passionate advocate for new music, he collaborates with composers from the US, Canada, and the UK to expand the repertoire for both classical and electric guitar.

Ranallo is also a committed educator, having taught hundreds of students in private lessons, group classes, and masterclass during his career. He was formerly on faculty at the Peabody Preparatory and Swarthmore College, and is a certified Suzuki guitar instructor. He has given workshops and classes at Peabody Conservatory, Oberlin Conservatory, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, University of Regina, and the Philadelphia Classical Guitar Festival in performance, composition, and improvisation.

In 2024, he launched the Suzuki guitar program at the MNjcc Suzuki School and established the Ranallo Guitar Studio in Toronto. He is currently a guest faculty at the Interlochen Arts Academy for 2026.