Saxophonist Brian Rodesch has carved out a varied career as both performer and educator, amassing a wealth of musical experiences that continue to shape his approach to both performing and pedagogy. Steeped in both classical and jazz traditions he has appeared in groups ranging from contemporary duos to symphony orchestras, and from small jazz groups to traditional big bands.
As a concert saxophonist, he has performed with the Blue Lake Festival Orchestra, the Boulder Philharmonic, was a featured soloist on the inaugural Aquila Performing Arts Series (Greeley, CO), and has been invited to perform at regional and national meetings of the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA), the American Single Reed Summit, the International Music by Women Festival, the SHE Fest, and looks forward to future engagements as a concerto soloist with the State Line Wind Band. As a jazz musician and improviser, he has been featured with the ETSU Jazz Ensemble alongside Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist Justin Stanton (Snarky Puppy), has performed with the Des Moines Big Band, the NOVA Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, the Soya Vista Jazz Orchestra, the Simpson College Faculty Jazz Quintet, and has appeared in small groups throughout the upper-Midwest.
Though Brian loves performing and sharing music in that capacity, his true passion is education. With over twenty years of experience at every level from elementary band to higher education, and in every setting from private lessons to conducting wind bands, Brian takes immense joy in seeing the growth and accomplishments of his students. Described as a “passionate and engaged” educator, Brian currently serves as Instructor of Saxophone and Jazz Studies at East Tennessee State University, and for the previous five years was Assistant Professor of Saxophone and Director of Jazz at Simpson College (Indianola, IA). He has additionally served on faculty at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camps, the University of Minnesota-Morris, MacPhail Center for Music, the University of Northern Colorado, and was a director with the Minnesota Youth Jazz Bands (MYJB). Beyond his formal appointments, he has given master classes and clinics at colleges and universities throughout the United States, frequently presents workshops at junior and high schools in eastern Tennessee, and has been invited to present at the Minnesota Music Educators Association’s (MMEA) annual Midwinter Clinic.
Brian holds a Doctor of Arts degree in saxophone performance and jazz pedagogy from the University of Northern Colorado, where he was a student of Andrew Dahlke. He has additional degrees from East Carolina University (M.M.) and the University of Minnesota (B.M.E.).
Brian is a Conn-Selmer and Dahlke Mouthpiece performing artist and performs exclusively on Selmer Paris saxophones and the Virtuoso Series RS mouthpiece. He resides in beautiful Johnson City, TN with his wife - they are currently in discussion about whether or not to get a pet.
Cover Photo and headshot: Evan Sowder (www.evansowder.com)