Kathryn Ladano MMus is one of Canada's premiere bass clarinetists. She has performed as a soloist and chamber musician across Canada and has been featured on CBC radio and in print across the country. Several works have been composed for her and her ensembles from some of Canada's most distinguished composers. Kathryn holds a masters degree in bass clarinet performance from the University of Calgary and an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in music from the University of Waterloo. Kathryn has participated in masterclasses conducted by world renowned bass clarinetist Harry Sparnaay, and her performance instructors include Stan Climie and Tilly Kooyman. In 2004, Kathryn was a recipient of a Canada Council for the Arts grant which allowed her to study with renowned bass clarinettist and improvisor, Lori Freedman in Montreal. Kathryn has also studied Electroacoustic Composition with Richard Windeyer.

As a specialist of New Music, Kathryn's repertoire often incorporates extended techniques and implements electroacoustic and audio/visual accompaniment. As an enthusiast of bass clarinet repertoire, Kathryn has guest lectured in university composition classes across Canada speaking about compositional techniques used in music for her instrument.

Kathryn has performed as a soloist at the Calgary New Music Festival, Calgary's Nach Hause concert series, the University of Waterloo and University of Guelph noon hour series' the Calgary high performance rodeo, the KWCMS concert series, Toronto's Leftover Daylight series, the Guelph 'Sunday's at the Centre' series, at Calgary's Beat Niq jazz club and live on CKMS radio in Waterloo. In addition, Kathryn founded Canada's first bass clarinet duo, Bass Impact with fellow bass clarinetist Tilly Kooyman. Bass Impact had the honour of performing a recital of Canadian compositions at the 2005 World Bass Clarinet Convention in Rotterdam, Holland.

In 2006 Kathryn founded the KW Improvisers Collective (KWIC) with fellow musician Ted Harms. KWIC's mandate is to work to promote improvising musicians, and the improvised music scene in the Kitchener-Waterloo area.