Education
Owen Broder earned a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media, with a focus on saxophone, from the Eastman School of Music. He went on to earn a Master of Music in Jazz Studies, also in saxophone, from the Manhattan School of Music.
As a Performer
Owen Broder is a member of the GRAMMY® nominated Anat Cohen Tentet and has performed with internationally respected artists such as Ryan Truesdell’s Gil Evans Project, Miho Hazama, the Ulysses Owens, Jr. Big Band, and YouTube sensation Postmodern Jukebox. He earned the title 2018 Debut Artist of the Year from NPR’s Francis Davis and was included on DownBeat Magazine’s Critics Poll as a Rising Star Alto Saxophonist in 2023 and 2024.
Owen’s six albums as a band leader have received national recognition. His Hodges: Front and Center, Vol. 1 was included on DownBeat Magazine’s list of “Best Albums of 2022.” The debut album from his American Roots Project, Heritage (ArtistShare®, 2018), earned him the title of Debut Artist of the Year from NPR’s Francis Davis and a 2018 Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award. DownBeat called it a “transcendental work of art.” His co-led quintet Cowboys & Frenchmen was described as “innovative as well as inspiring” (Travis Rogers, Jr., JazzTimes) and received a four-star rating from DownBeat for its 2017 release, Bluer Than You Think.
In musical theater, he was a member of the pit orchestras for the German tour of Grease and off-Broadway production For the Last Time, and appeared with the bands in David Bowie’s Lazarus and the Tony® Award-winning musical, Tootsie. Own also originated the woodwind chair in the US premiere tour of The Bodyguard the Musical.
An award-winning composer and arranger, Owen has received commissioned projects from the US Air Force Band in Europe, the Airmen of Note, two off-Broadway shows, the Winchester Symphonic Winds, and the internationally acclaimed woodwind quintet WindSync.
As a Teacher
A dedicated educator, Owen teaches jazz saxophone and jazz chamber ensembles at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Previously, he served as Director of Jazz at Reed College and also taught jazz ear training and jazz arranging at Portland State University. He also taught saxophone lessons at Pacific University and directed ensembles there alongside Portland State and Reed College. He participates in educational festivals across the country as a guest clinician and adjudicator, including the Reno Jazz Festival and the Oregon Music Educators’ Association conference. He taught a course on the music of Johnny Hodges through Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Swing University as part of the program’s month-long celebration of Duke Ellington’s centennial.
Owen has published a method book for saxophonists at all levels that includes instruction, exercises, and solo and duet études addressing aspects of sound and style in each register of the saxophone, titled Sound Systems: Developing Your Unique Saxophone Voice.
At Levine
Owen joined Levine in 2026, teaching saxophone and jazz ensembles.
My favorite aspect of being on faculty at Levine is the opportunity to become part of such a diverse and engaged community of musicians. As a new faculty member, I’m especially excited to meet students with different backgrounds, interests, and goals, and to help each of them find their own path as a musician. I love that music education can be both highly personal and deeply collaborative, and I’m looking forward to building relationships with my students, learning from them, and sharing the experiences I’ve gained as a working musician. I’m thrilled to be joining the Levine community!
Teaching Philosophy
I believe music education is most meaningful when it is a collaborative process that helps students discover their own voice, develop practical skills, and build a lasting relationship with music. My role as a teacher is to meet each student where they are, establish strong fundamentals, and then tailor our work to their individual goals, interests, and musical personality. Whether a student is preparing for a professional career, pursuing music in school, or simply looking to become a more confident and expressive musician, I strive to make lessons challenging, encouraging, and relevant to their aspirations.
On saxophone, we work together to develop sound, technique, repertoire, improvisation, sight-reading, and stylistic versatility while learning from a broad range of musical traditions and artists. Most importantly, I want students to leave each lesson with a deeper understanding of the music, a stronger sense of their own artistic identity, and genuine excitement about what they can do next.
More About Owen
When not teaching or performing, Owen spends time baking, hiking, skiing, exploring new restaurants, and traveling. Learn more about Owen on his website.